V 


[*     DEC  2  1907      *1 


Divisioa     BXS^ 


Section 


THE  Oil)   TOWKli    AT   .1  A  M  KSTOWN.    VA. 


^   (CoSomsiS  Clhtisirclhi' 


C®S©i 


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WKTMI  PECTUEES  ©F  E^CM  CMUECKI 
EspecisiSIl^^    @tiss\]laffl(sdl 


RICHMOND.    VA. 

SOUTHERN     CHURCHMAN     CO. 
1907 


Copyright  1907  by 
SOUTHERN  CHURCHMAN  CO. 

Richmond,  Va. 


PREFACE. 


r-  p;\  HIS  book  is  issued  in  response  to  a  recognized  need  and  an  ex- 
pressed  demand. 

These  papers  appeared  originally  as  articles  in  the  Southern 
Churchman,  and  from  the  beginning  of  their  publication  elicited  a 
wide  interest;  hence,  it  was  considered  wise  to  preserve  them  in  com- 
pact and   permanent  form. 

The  object  of  this  book  is  two-fold:  First,  to  show  that  this  Church 
is  no  intruder  in  this  land,  but  was  the  first  religious  body  to  claim 
possession  of  the  English  Colonial  Possessions  for  Christ  and  Holy 
Church;  that  the  very  first  settlers  in  these  Colonies  were  Church- 
men, intent  on  the  spread  of  the  Church  and  the  preaching  of  the 
Gospel;  and  that  before  any  other  body  of  Christians  had  located 
in  the  territory  of  the  English  Colonies  the  Church  had  taken  formal 
and  permanent  possession. 

Second:  To  show  that  this  possession  was  not  an  ephemeral  or  spo- 
radic act,  but  that  it  was  continuous  and  permanent;  that  where  the 
Colonists  first  landed,  there  the  ministrations  of  the  Church  were 
begun,  and  there  permanent  church  buddings  were  erected;  that  these 
ministrations  have  continued  unbroken  to  the  present  day;  and  that 
permanent  and  handsome  structures  marked  the  progress  of  Colonial 
growth,  and  remain  to-day  as  monuments  to  the  piety  and  churchly 
character  of  the  American  forefathers. 

Incidentally,  this  book  will  show  the  amazing  effect  which  Church- 
men had  on  the  founding  of  the  Colonies,  and  the  tremendous  part 
they  played  in  the  upbuilding  and  development  of  the  nation  and  the 
formation  of  national  ideals  and  character. 


6 

And  this  work  is  done  by  no  polemic  or  argumentative  process,  but 
simply  by  reciting  and  putting  on  permanent  record  the  historic  facts 
In  connection  with  Colonial,  Revolutionary  and  Post-Revolutionary 
History,  as  it  affected  the  Church. 

For  too  many  years  Churchmen  have  allowed  those  who  are  anti- 
pathetic to  her  character  and  purpose  to  write  her  history  as  it 
touched  Colonial  development  and  legislation;  and  it  Is  far  from  sur- 
prising that  she  should  have  been  misrepresented  and  maligned;  and 
it  is  more  than  high  time  that  her  own  sons  should  give  to  the  world 
the  facts  as  they  really  were  and  are. 

The  papers  constituting  this  book  have  been  prepared  by  many 
authors,  each  specially  qualified  for  the  special  work  undertaken,  and 
the  whole  represents  a  labor  of  love  and  loyalty  such  as  has  never, 
so  far,  been  equalled  in  the  history  of  the  Americ'an  Church.  What 
the  writers  of  these  articles  have  done  has  been  done  without  hope  of 
other  reward  than  that  of  placing  their  Mother  Church,  the  Mother 
Church  of  this  Land,  right  in  the  eyes  of  all  fair-minded  men.  They 
deserve  the  gratitude  of  the  Church  at  large  for  their  faithful  en- 
deavors. 

To  the  American  Church  this  book  is  dedicated,  with  the  hope  and 
prayer  that  in  this  Tercentenary  year  it  may  not  only  silence  the 
detractor,  but  may  strengthen  the  position  of  every  Churchman  who 
believes  in  the  historic  position  and  claims  of  his  Mother  Church. 

W.  M.  CLARK, 

Editor  Hon  them  Churchman. 


The  Fall  and  Rising  Again  of  the  Church 
in  Virginia. 


An    Essay,    Read    Before    the   Alumni    Association    of    tlie    Theological 
Seminary  in  Virginia,  June  20,  1907. 

VIRGINIA   SEMINARY   ALUMNI   ADDRESS 

BY    THE   REV.    EDWARD    1..    GOODWIN,    HISTORIOGRAPHER   OF    THE    DIOCESE    OF 

VIRGINIA. 

THE  year  1907  will  be  marked  as  that  in  which  a  re-study  was 
made  of  the  beginnings  of  the  history  of  Virginia,  and  espec- 
ially of  the  Church  in  Virginia.  All  eyes  are  turned  this  year 
to  Jamestown,  and  many  minds  are  seeking  to  reconstruct  the 
scenes  enacted  there  three  hundred  years  ago.  Orators  and  writers 
are  telling  the  story  anew,  and  with  a  new  realization  of  its  import; 
and  we  are  very  sure  that  one  result  will  be  a  fairer  estimate  of  the 
purpose  and  character  of  the  founders  of  the  State,  and  a  new  demon- 
stration of  the  good  providence  of  God  in  planting  and  preserving  on 
these  American  shores  this  vine  of  His  Church,  which  has  grown  and 
filled  the  land. 

I  venture  to  take  as  the  subject  for  the  essay  to-day  another  epoch 
in  the  history  of  the  Virginia  Church,  which  we  must  know  if  we  would 
truly  trace  our  descent  from  the  Church  of  Jamestown  and  understand 
the  lessons  of  our  long  past.  Our  theme  is,  "The  Fall  and  Rising 
Again  of  the  Church  in  Virginia."  The  story  would  cover,  for  its 
complete  telling,  a  period  of  about  a  century  of  her  life,  or,  say,  from 
1740  to  1840.  At  the  beginning  of  this  period  we  see  the  Church  sit- 
ting as  a  queen  upon  her  throne,  supported  and  protected  by  her  lord, 
the  State,  apparently  the  most  stable  institution  among  this  new  peo- 
ple. In  the  midst  we  see  her  dethroned,  distrusted  and  disqualified, 
vainly  striving  to  save  from  the  wreck  of  her  fortunes  some  remnants 
of  her  former  possessions,  if  not  of  her  power.     At  its  end  she  appears 


8 

revived,  chastened  and  purified,  girded  with  humility  and  grace  as  one 
who  doth  serve,  and  entered  upon  the  holy  work  in  the  doing  of  which 
she  has  outlived  all  calumny  and  been  honored  of  God  and  men. 

That  the  Church  which  was  founded  with  the  Colony  of  Virginia 
should  be  an  Established,  or  State,  Church  was  inevitable  under  the 
conditions  existing.  No  other  form  of  Church  was  known  or  conceived 
of,  and  as  the  English  government  went  with  her  Colonies  as  the  mould 
of  her  civilization  and  law,  so  the  English  Church  would  go  as  the 
outward  embodiment  of  her  Protestant  religion.  Just  what  was  to  be 
the  permanent  form  and  theological  complexion  of  that  Church  was 
still  a  question  of  controversy  at  home.  It  seems  to  have  given  the 
colonists  very  small  concern  either  now  or  later;  and  it  is  singular 
how  little  echo  of  the  theological  strifes  of  England  was  heard  it  Vir- 
ginia. The  Church  established  here  was  the  English  Church  of  1607 
and  thereabouts,  and  that  has  been  the  norm  of  Virginia  Churchman- 
ship  ever  since.  The  colonists  wanted  simply  good  men  like  Hunt  and 
Whittaker  and  Buck  and  their  immediate  followers,  selected  and  sent 
out  by  the  London  Company,  to  read  the  old  prayers  in  their  rude 
churches,  to  preach  to  them  and  to  administer  the  sacraments  as  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  have  them  at  home.  They  worshipped  ac- 
cording to  the  forms  of  the  big  Prayer  Books  in  their  churches,  and 
they  and  their  children  learned  the  catechism  out  of  them,  and  they 
obeyed  as  far  as  possible  the  "Constitutions  and  Canons  Ecclesiasti- 
cal," which  were  bound  with  them  at  the  end,  atter  the  Psalms  in 
metre.  When  these  Canons  failed  to  meet  their  particular  wants,  they 
made  other  Canons  by  their  Burgesses,  under  the  guise  of  Acts  or  Or- 
ders of  Assembly,  and  the  county  lieutenants  and  churchwardens  saw 
that  they  were  proclaimed  and  duly  followed.  Those  curious  Church- 
men called  Puritans  were  perfectly  welcome  in  Virginia  so  long  as 
they  obeyed  the  laws.  Those  queer  non-Churchmen  called  Quakers, 
(by  no  means  the  Quakers  of  a  later  day),  were  not  welcome  because 
they  would  not  obey  the  laws,  and  taught  men  so. 

Among  the  Canons  ordained  by  the  General  Assembly  were  those 
creating  in  each  parish  a  Select  Vestry,  as  it  would  be  called  in  Eng- 
land. A  vestry  was  originally  the  whole  body  of  parishioners,  met  to 
order  their  parochial  affairs;  the  model,  by  the  way,  of  the  New  Eng- 
land town  meeting.  But  this  was  not  convenient  in  Virginia,  and  the 
vestry  was  ordered  to  be  composed  of  "the  most  sufficient  and  selected 
men"  to  be  chosen  by  the  parishioners:   the  origin  of  our  vestry  elec- 


tions,  dating  back  to  1642.  Later  the  number  was  fixed  at  twelve,  and 
most  unfortunately  they  were  made  a  self-perpetuating  body.  These 
administered  parochial  affairs,  as  that  term  was  understood  in  the  wide 
meaning  of  English  law. 

The  Church  thus  established,  and  supported  by  parochial  taxation, 
seems  fairly  well  to  have  met  the  religious  wants  of  the  people  of  that 
day.  Perhaps  under  no  other  conditions  could  she  have  done  so  well 
when  both  the  Colony  and  the  Church  were  in  their  infancy,  and  she 
was  in  the  position  of  a  Mission  Church,  but  with  no  missionary  so- 
ciety or  agency  behind  her  to  look  to  for  direction  and  support. 

But  when  a  century  and  a  quarter  had  passed,  conditions  were  differ- 
ent. The  Colony  had  grown  tremendously  in  every  way;  in  numbers 
and  wealth,  in  political  vigor,  in  the  intellectual  and  economic  progress 
of  the  great  body  of  her  people.  It  was  practically  no  longer  a  Col- 
ony but  a  Commonwealth.  The  Church,  meanwhile,  had  grown  in  size 
only;  but  in  vitality,  in  adaptiveness.  in  capacity  tor  self-support,  self- 
government  or  self-discipline,  in  ability  to  meet  her  altered  and  in- 
creased responsibilities,  not  one  whit!  She  was  rather  growing  infirm 
in  her  swaddling  clothes.  She  was  tied  and  bound,  and  all  but  stran- 
gled by  the  very  bonds  on  which  she  leaned.  Her  weakness  and  in- 
ability to  meet  new  conditions  as  they  arose  was  not  inherent  in  the 
Church,  but  lay  in  outward  and  artificial  circumstances,  which  she  had 
not  the  power,  even  if  she  had  the  wisdom,  to  change.  What  she  might 
have  done  and  become,  undebilitated  by  State  patronage  and  unham- 
pered by  political  control,  none  can  tell.  What  she  failed  to  become 
and  to  do,  being  thus  handicapped,  is  patent  enough  now. 

I  lay  stress  upon  this  one  fatal  condition,  because  it  is  the  sufficient 
explanation  of  all  her  weakness  and  her  woes.  The  system  of  Church 
government  in  Virginia  was,  I  believe,  without  parallel  in  history.  It 
was  not  Episcopal,  nor  Presbyterian,  nor  Congregational,  nor  yet  a 
compound  of  the  three.  It  was  a  government  by  a  political,  local,  lay 
aristocracy,  which  was  a  branch  of  the  civil  government  of  the  Colony. 
The  Church  herself  was  without  power  to  act,  to  provide  for  her  es- 
sential needs  or  to  perpetuate  or  develop  her  life. 

Among  the  secondary  causes  of  the  weakness  of  the  Church,  and  the 
one  which  has  been  almost  exclusively  insisted  upon,  was  the  scarcity 
of  her  clergy  and  the  unworthiness  and  inefficiency  of  many  of  them. 
The  root  of  this  difficulty  lay  further  back— in  her  incapacity  to  pro- 
duce a  native  ministry  sufficient  and  suitable  for  her  needs.     She  had 


10 

no  power  of  mission.  Occasionally  a  young  Virginian  would  go  to  Eng- 
land and  there  seek  the  ministry,  but  he  would  do  it  of  his  own  initia- 
tive. Sometimes  a  vestry  would  find  a  man  of  sufficient  education  and 
proper  character  whom  they  would  induce  to  take  orders  and  accept 
their  living.  The  process  of  securing  ordination  for  such  an  one  was 
not  difficult.  They  had  but  to  supply  him  with  their  own  letter  of 
recommendation  and  a  title  to  their  parish,  to  which  the  Governor  and, 
perhaps,  the  Commissary  would  add  their  endorsement.  Armea  with 
these,  the  candidate  would  set  out  on  his  pilgrimage  to  the  palace  of 
the  Bishop  of  London,  where,  for  the  first  and  only  time  in  his  life,  he 
would  come  in  touch  for  a  moment  with  a  source  of  ecclesiastical  order 
and  authority.  If  he  escaped  the  dangers  of  the  sea  and  the  ravages 
of  small-pox  in  a  London  tavern,  he  returned  within  a  twelve-month 
in  priest's  orders,  and  fully  equipped  with  Tillotson's  Sermons  and,  per- 
haps, half  a  dozen  other  books,  which  would  constitute  his  theological 
library. 

These  few  native  ministers  were  by  far  the  best,  I  believe,  in  the 
Colony.  Other  vestries  ordered  ministers  to  be  selected  and  sent  from 
England  by  their  friends  or  their  factors  in  London,  much  as  they  or- 
dered Prayer  Books  or  Communion  plate;  while  others  consulted  the 
Commissary,  and  took  what  applicant  lor  a  living  he  might  have  on 
his  hands;  or  they  employed  from  time  to  time  whatever  clerical  dere- 
lict might  drift  their  way  and  apply  for  the  place.  These  last,  as 
might  be  supposed,  were  usually  the  worst.  Yet  the  vestries  were 
really  concerned  in  trying  to  get  good  men  for  their  parishes,  and  in 
being  rid  of  those  who  proved  otherwise.  In  spite  of  their  efforts, 
many  unworthy  men,  and  a  few  impostors  who  were  not  in  orders  at 
all,  held  livings  of  which  they  could  not  be  dispossessed.  But  such 
cases  were  much  less  frequent  than  has  been  represented,  and  the 
great  majority  of  the  Colonial  clergy  were  godly,  faithful  and.  in  many 
cases,  able  men. 

My  heart  goes  out  to  the  memory  of  these  servants  of  God  in  those 
earlier  and  less  auspicious  days  of  the  Virginia  Church,  wiio  did  their 
work  with  patience  with  so  little  to  animate  or  encourage  them.  They 
wrought  alone  and  almost  unheeded,  each  in  his  own  isolated  field  of 
labor,  wide  as  the  wilderness  in  territory,  but  narrow  almost  to  the 
vanishing  point  in  all  that  could  give  inspiration,  impetus  or  promise 
to  their  work.  They  had  no  great  Church  life  behind  them  or  around 
them;  no  standard  to  live  up  to,  no  competition  to  rouse  their  energies. 


11 

They  had  no  Bishop,  no  Conventions  or  Convocations,  or  clerical  asso- 
ciations. They  had  no  missions  or  missionary  societies  to  stir  their 
zeal;  no  guilds  or  choirs  or  Sunday-school  to  uphold  their  hands  in 
the  work  of  their  parishes.  They  had  no  books,  no  papers,  no  mail. 
No  Southern  Churchman — think  of  that!  No  missionary  in  the  re- 
motest foreign  field  to-day  is  so  completely  cut  off  from  the  manifold 
expressions  of  religious  life  and  activity  as  were  these  men.  What- 
ever atmosphere  of  this  sort  there  was  around  them  was  of  their  own 
creation.  And  yet,  for  a  century  and  three-quarters,  these  ministers 
kept  the  religion  of  Christ  and  of  the  Mother  Church  alive  here  in  the 
wilderness.  If  the  old  parish  registers,  wherein  alone  their  work 
found  earthly  record,  had  been  preserved  to  us,  the  names  of  those 
whom  they  baptized  and  catechized  and  married  and  buried  would  form 
an  almost  complete  roster  of  the  souls  in  Virginia  during  that  period. 

Wherein  they  failed  to  gain  and  hold  for  the  Church  the  love  and 
reverence  of  the  common  people,  a  sufficient  explanation  may  be 
found  in  the  conditions  of  the  Establishment.  The  clergyman  was,  in 
common  estimation,  identified  with  and  the  creature  of  the  vestry,  and 
the  vestry  was  a  close  corporation  of  real  or  would-be  aristocrats.  So- 
cial lines  were  closely  drawn,  with  the  usual  unhappy  result.  In 
church  the  common  people  sat  in  pews  assigned  them  down  by  the 
door.  If  they  did  not  come  to  church  the  churchwardens  occasionally 
presented  them  to  the  grand  jury,  and  they  were  fined,  as  they  were 
also  for  racing  horses  or  hunting  on  Sunday  and  other  offenses  against 
morality  and  Church  discipline,  and  the  vestry  got  the  money.  Their 
little  tobacco  crop  was  taxed  heavily  for  parochial  purposes.  True, 
the  twelve  vestrymen  probably  paid  one-half  the  tithes  of  the  parish, 
but  they  laid  the  levy  and  the  small  planter  did  not.  As  a  contribu- 
tion he  might  have  given  his  sixty  pounds  of  tobacco  willingly.  As  a 
tax  he  paid  it  grudgingly.  If  he  took  up  land  further  back  in  the  wil- 
derness, the  parish  system  followed  him,  with  new  churches  to  build 
and  a  new  parson,  living,  perhaps,  forty  miles  away,  to  be  paid  his 
16,000  pounds  of  tobacco.  The  Church  was  fast  becoming  unpopular 
with  the  masses  whom  it  not  did  reach,  or  at  least  reached  but  im- 
perfectly and  with  small  power  to  win  their  affection. 

The  rise  of  the  Dissenters  in  Virginia  and  the  beginnings  of  their 
inroads  upon  the  legal  preserves  of  the  Church  dates  practically  from 
about  the  year  1740,  though  it  was  nearly  twenty  years  later  before 
their   opposition    was    seriously    felt,   and    still    another    decaae   before 


12 

they  began  to  attack  the  Establishment  with  deadly  deteiuiiination. 
Their  progress,  however,  among  the  plain  people  of  the  country  was 
rapid  from  the  beginning,  and  the  reasons  are  not  far  to  seek.  Many 
of  the  dissenting  preachers,  however  ill-equipped  in  knowledge  and 
narrow  in  creed,  were  men  of  earnest  piety  and  burning  zeal.  They 
brought  religion  to  the  doors  of  the  people  who,  before,  could  hardly 
reach  its  exponent  by  a  Sabbath  day's  journey.  They  presented  it  in 
such  guise  as  they  could  understand,  appealing  to  the  feelings  rather 
than  the  understanding,  but  touching  the  hearts  as  the  long  sermons 
and  lifeless  services  of  the  parish  churches  had  never  touched  them. 
Moreover,  these  preachers  were  men  of  strong  native  sense  and  shrewd- 
ness, and  they  understood  their  congregations  very  thoroughly.  Their 
very  weaknesses  they  turned  into  elements  of  strength.  Their  lack  of 
education,  their  being  without  regular  orders,  the  sporadic  and  demo- 
cratic organization  of  their  churches,  the  very  small  expense  attaching 
to  their  support  and  the  maintenance  of  this  native  and  homely  form 
of  religion,  as  contrasted  with  that  of  the  Established  Church — they 
made  all  these  things  weigh  in  their  favor.  "Eree  Religion"  proved 
to  be  a  harp  of  many  strings,  and  they  played  upon  them  all.  When 
at  last  the  magistrates  began,  in  a  few  instances,  to  seek  to  curb  their 
zeal  or  reprimand  their  excesses,  they  courted  prosecution  with  the 
devotion  of  the  martyr  combined  with  the  shrewd  wisdom  of  the  po- 
litical agitator.  Fines  they  did  not  like  to  pay,  but  there  was  no  such 
pulpit  as  the  grated  window  of  the  county  jail.  This  appealed  to  the 
popular  sympathy  as  possibly  nothing  else  could.  The  crime  of  perse- 
cution was  now  added  to  those  ascribed  to  the  Church;  and  presently 
a  still  more  serious  charge  began  to  be  laid  at  her  doors,  and  one  more 
potent  to  fire  the  public  heart.  It  was  the  English  Church!  The  pop- 
ular indignation  aroused  by  the  Stamp  Act  grew  apace  until  it  burst 
into  the  patriotic  flame  of  Revolution,  and  the  odium  which  began  to 
attach  to  England  was  not  slow  to  be  directed  toward  the  Church  which 
bore  her  name. 

Meanwhile  the  Baptist  and  Presbyterian  voter  had  become  an  ele- 
ment to  be  reckoned  with.  As  early  as  1759  an  act  was  passed  de- 
claring that  a  vestryman  joining  a  dissenting  congregation  thereby  va- 
cated his  office.  But  few  Dissenters  as  yet  found  their  way  to  the 
House  of  Burgesses,  but  they  were  helping  to  elect  those  that  did.  The 
perfectly  just,  but  unwise,  course  of  the  clergy  who  protested  and  ap- 
pealed to  the  courts  against  the  Option  oi  Two-penny  act  of  1758,  which 


13 

allowed  their  tobacco  salary  for  that  year,  when  tobacco  was  particu- 
larly high,  to  be  compounded  to  them  at  the  miserable  rate  of  sixteen 
shillings  and  eight  pence  a  hundred,  and  their  practical  defeat,  con- 
trary to  law  and  justice,  but  in  obedience  to  the  will  of  the  people,  did 
much  to  strengthen  the  prejudice  against  the  Church  and  embolden  her 
enemies. 

The  boon  of  Disestablishment  came  to  her,  however,  from  the  wis- 
dom and  convictions  of  her  own  sons.  Many  of  the  old  vestrymen 
must  have  been  long  ago  persuaded  that  not  only  the  cause  of  religion, 
but  the  influence  and  vitality  of  the  Church  which  they  loved  were 
being  hampered  and  jeopardized  by  its  connection  with  the  State;  that 
the  whole  system,  however  venerable,  v/as  false  and  vicious,  and  that 
the  principles  of  religion  as  well  as  the  logic  of  events  demanded  that 
her  service  should  be  perfect  freedom.  For  the  first  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  Virginia,  if  not  of  the  English  race,  an  opportunity  for  declar- 
ing and  carrying  into  effect  these  convictions  presented  itself  in  1776. 
Before  that  time  the  Church  in  Virginia  had  no  more  power  to  free 
herself  from  the  control  of  the  State  than  has  the  Department  of  Jus- 
tice, for  instance,  to  decline  its  allegiance  to  the  government  of  which 
it  is  a  part.  But  when  the  people  of  Virginia  met  in  Convention  to 
face  the  question  of  Revolution  and  to  proclaim  their  Declaration  of 
Rights,  the  occasion  offered,  and  the  promptness  with  which  it  was 
seized  upon  to  pronounce  the  principle  of  Religious  Liberty  shows  that 
the  conception  had  long  found  lodgment  in  their  minds.  When  that  Con- 
vention, composed  of  Churchmen  almost  to  a  man,  unanimously  adopt- 
ed the  sixteenth  article  of  the  Bill  of  Rights  they  knew  perfectly  that 
it  would  lead,  and  was  meant  to  lead,  to  the  disestablishment  of  their 
Church,  though  few,  perhaps,  saw  as  clearly  as  did  George  Mason,  its 
author,  and  the  father  of  Religious  L,iberty,  the  full  extent  to  which  it 
would  go  in  guiding  further  legislation. 

Almost  immediately  after  the  adoption  of  the  new  Constitution,  the 
General  Assembly  proceeded  to  put  into  effect  the  principle  announced, 
by  an  act  declaring  null  and  void  in  this  Commonwealth  all  acts  of 
Parliament  which  limited  the  right  of  maintaining  any  religious  opin- 
ions or  exercising  any  mode  of  worship.  The  same  act  exempted  Dis- 
senters from  the  payment  of  parish  levies  for  the  support  of  ministers; 
and,  lest  such  levies  should  now  fall  too  heavily  upon  those  who  still 
adhered  to  the  Established  Church,  if  required  to  pay  the  ministers 
their  fixed   salaries,  the  act  providing  for  such  levies  was  suspended 


14 

for  one  year.  All  glebe  lands,  churches  and  chapels,  church  plate,  &c., 
were,  however,  expressly  reserved  and  saved  for  the  church  in  each 
parish  for  all  coming  time.  The  act  for  the  support  of  the  clergy  con- 
tinued to  be  suspended  from  year  to  year  until  it  was  finally  repealed 
In  177!t. 

The  passage  of  this  act  of  October,  177t),  was  the  crucial  test  for  the 
Church.  The  prop  which  had  been  her  temporal  support,  the  parish 
levy,  was  removed  in  a  moment  and  without  warning.  It  came  at  the 
most  inopportune  time,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolution,  when  the 
distractions  of  war  filled  the  land,  when  taxation  was  heavy  and  prop- 
el ty  depreciated,  and  when  the  principal  men  of  each  parish  wen;  ab- 
sent on  public  duty  or  absorbed  in  the  stirring  events  and  doubtful 
issues  of  the  day.  What  steps  were  taken  in  the  different  parishes  to- 
ward supporting  the  Church  by  the  new  system  of  voluntary  contri- 
butions we  have  little  or  no  means  of  knowing.  In  the  great  majority 
of  cases  probably  nothing  was  done,  the  matter  being  deferred  until 
more  peaceful  times.  The  ministers,  if  they  staye'd  in  their  parishes, 
had  their  glebes,  and  from  these  and  such  alms  as  they  might  receive, 
gained  their  meager  living.  Some  turned  to  secular  pursuits  for  sup- 
port; others  drifted  out  of  the  State;  several  entered  the  army  as  offi- 
cers or  chaplains.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  or,  say,  in  1775, 
there  were,  as  nearly  as  we  can  gather,  about  ninety-five  parish  minis- 
ters in  the  Colony.  Bishop  Meade,  following  Dr.  Hawks,  says  that  at 
Its  close,  or  in  1785,  "only  twenty-eight  ministers  were  found  laboring 
In  the  less  desolate  parishes  of  the  State."  But  Dr.  Hawks'  figures  are 
not  accurate,  for  we  can  find  at  least  forty-tivo  whose  names  reappear 
after  the  Revolution,  and  there  may  have  been  others  whom  age  or  dis- 
tance prevented  from  coming  to  the  Conventions,  and  of  these  at  least 
thirty  were  still  in  their  old  parishes.  During  the  ten  years  certainly 
as  many  as  twenty-three  would  die  or  become  disabled,  which  would 
leave  only  thirty  to  be  accounted  for  after  a  decade  of  upheaval  and 
war,  when  the  very  foundations  on  which  they  had  rested  were  over- 
turned. We  cannot,  therefore,  justify  Bishop  Meade's  hasty  conclusion 
that  "had  they  been  faithftil  shepherds,  they  would  not  have  thus  de- 
serted their  flocks." 

With  the  first  return  of  peace  the  Church  people  began  to  cast  about 
for  means  for  rehabilitating  and  maintaining  their  Church.  And  here 
another  source  of  weakness,  due  wholly  to  their  former  condition  as 
an  Established  or  State  Church,  manifested  itself  in  a  way  that,  to  us. 


15 

seems  perfectly  amazing.  The  idea  of  a  Cliurch  supported  by  tlie  free- 
will offerings  of  her  people  was  one  that  was  absolutely  foreign  to 
their  minds.  Whether  such  a  condition  would  be  desirable  or  not  was 
not  at  all  the  question  at  issue.  To  the  minds  of  the  very  great  ma- 
jority of  the  leading  Churchmen  such  a  scheme  was  visionary  and  im- 
practicable. It  meant  that  religion  would  die  out  in  the  land,  or  degen- 
erate into  tiiey  knew  not  what  form  of  ribaldry  and  free-thinking.  In 
a  few  places,  like  Alexandria,  for  instance,  a  number  of  wealthy  men 
from  one  or  two  parishes  might  unite  and  maintain  the  services  of  the 
Church  by  pew  rents,  and  this  Washington  tot)k  the  lead  in  doing  there; 
but  elsewhere  the  light  of  the  Church  would  be  extinguished  forever. 
Such  was  their  firm  conviction,  and  why?  Because  the  duty  of  giving 
had  never  for  one  moment  been  taught,  nor  an  opportunity  for  its  ex- 
ercise been  offered,  in  the  Colonial  Church!  I  suppose  that  on  Com- 
munion occasions  an  offertory  was  taken  to  be  distributed  by  the  min- 
ister among  the  poor,  a  purely  formal  proceeding.  Beyond  this  I  doubt 
whether  an  offering  had  ever  been  taken  in  a  Colonial  church,  or  that 
the  people  had  ever  been  asked  to  give  a  penny  for  her  support  or  ex- 
tension. The  vestry  paid  all  the  bills  out  of  the  parish  levy.  The  peo- 
ple were  asked  and  expected  to  give  nothing,  only  to  pay  the  tithes 
assessed  upon  them  as  the  law  demanded.  And  so  they  had  never 
learned  to  give,  nor  to  imagine  the  Church  and  her  ministry  being 
maintained  in  any  such  uncertain  and  unbusinesslike  fashion. 

When  the  law  of  1776  was  passed,  suspending  the  parish  levies,  the 
question  of  whether  the  support  of  ministers  and  teachers  of  the  gospel 
should  be  left  to  the  voluntary  contributions  of  each  religious  society 
or  be  provided  for  by  a  general  legal  assessment,  was  professedly  left 
open  for  future  determination.  In  1784  the  Churchmen  in  many  coun- 
ties, with  a  few  others,  petitioned  the  General  Assembly  for  a  law  re- 
quiring all  persons  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  religion  in  some 
form  or  other;  and  a  bill  was  introduced  entitled  "An  Act  for  estab- 
lishing a  provision  for  teachers  of  the  Christian  religion,"  and  known 
as  the  General  Assessment  Bill.  It  provided  that  each  taxpayer  should 
declare,  when  giving  in  his  list  of  tithables,  to  what  religious  society 
his  assessment  should  be  appropriated;  but  its  payment  was  obligatory. 
The  bill  was  opposed  by  three  parties  in  the  State,  holding  very  diverse 
views.  There  was  an  element,  influential,  if  not  large  or  open,  who 
were  indifferent,  if  not  Inimical,  to  the  existence  of  any  Church  or  re- 
ligion at  all.     Secondly,  there  were  the  Dissenters  generally,  but  chiefly 


16 

the  Baptists,  whose  Church  methods  required  little  for  thjeir  mainte 
nance,  but  who  were  quicli  to  see  the  advantage  the  measure  would 
afford  to  the  Church  of  larger  requirements  upon  whose  destruction 
they  were  avowedly  bent.  And  lastly,  but  in  effectiveness  chiefly,  there 
were  a  small  number  under  the  leadership  of  James  Madison,  who  saw 
that  the  whole  thing  was  wrong  in  principle  and  contrary  to  the  doc- 
trine of  perfect  liberty  in  matters  of  religion.  It  was  advocated  by 
some  Presbyterians  at  least  and  by  Episcopalians  generally,  under  the 
skillful  leadership  in  the  Assembly  of  Patrick  Henry,  aided  by  such 
men  as  Edmund  Randolph,  Richard  Henry  Lee,  John  Page  and  Edmund 
Pendleton;  while  George  Washington  was  an  avowed  believer  in  the 
principle,  to  quote  his  own  words,  of  "making  people  pay  for  the  sup- 
port of  that  which  they  profess."  It  is  strange  to  us  to-day  that  such 
great  statesmen  and  devoted  Churchmen  should  have  contended  so  vig- 
orously for  such  a  measure.  But  the  traditions  and  custom  of  many 
centuries  are  hard  to  overcome.  The  maintenance  of  religion  without 
the  sanction  and  support  of  the  government  in  some  form  was  to  them 
an  untried  experiment,  and  one  of  more  than  doubtful  promise.  They 
were  opportunists  because  of  their  fears  for  religion  and  the  Church. 

When  Madison  sav/  that  the  bill  would  certainly  pass  if  brought  to  a 
vote,  he  succeeded  in  having  it  laid  over  until  the  next  session.  In  the 
meantime,  at  the  solicitation  of  Mason  and  Nicholson,  he  prepared  his 
famous  "Memorial  and  Remonstrance,"  which  was  widely  circulated. 
It  received  so  many  signatures,  and  was  probably  itself  so  effective  as 
an  argument,  that  at  the  next  session  the  bill  was  defeated  with  little 
difficulty.  This  victory  paved  the  way  for  the  passage,  one  year  later, 
ol  Jefferson's  Statute  of  Religious  Freedom,  which  had  been  reported 
in  1779  by  a  committee  composed  originally  of  Jefferson,  Wythe.  Mason, 
Pendleton  and  Thomas  Ludwell  Lee,  but  which  had  hung  fire  in  the 
Assembly  for  seven  years. 

The  real  act  by  which  the  Church  was  disestablished,  however,  was 
that  for  "Incorporating  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,"  passed  at 
the  session  of  October,  1784,  upon  the  petition  of  the  Episcopal  clergy. 
It  made  the  minister  and  vestry  of  each  parish  a  body  corporate  to 
hold  its  property,  repealed  all  former  acts  relating  to  vestries  or  minis- 
ters and  their  duties,  or  to  the  doctrines  and  worship  of  the  Church, 
and  provided  that  the  Church,  in  Convention,  should  regulate  all  its 
religious  concerns.  The  act,  as  we  shall  see,  was  repealed  two  years 
later,  but  in  the  meantime  the  Diocese  of  Virginia  was  organized  under 


17 

its  provisions  on  the  18th  ©f  May,  1785.  In  that  first  Convention  sixty- 
nine  parishes  were  represented  by  thirty-six  clerical  and  seventy-one 
lay  delegates.  It  was  by  no  means  a  small  or  insignificant  body,  and 
as  one  reads  the  names  of  the  laymen  who  chiefly  composed  its  mem- 
bership, he  sees  that  it  represented,  to  a  large  degree,  the  foremost  peo- 
ple of  the  State  in  substance,  position  and  character.  They  were 
trained  legislators,  and  every  page  of  their  proceedings  shows  their 
skill  in  this  regard  and  the  patient  and  thorough  consideration  they 
gave  to  the  matters  before  them.  Not  one  of  these  delegates  had  ever 
sat  in  a  Church  Legislative  Convention  before,  except  Dr.  Griffith. 
Their  ecclesiastical  training  had  been  gained  as  vestrymen  solely.  They 
met  to  organize  a  Church  under  conditions  never  before  existing.  They 
had  no  precedent  to  guide  them,  no  model  to  which  to  conform.  Their 
work  under  such  circumstances  was  truly  remarkable.  In  their  re- 
sponse to  the  overtures  from  the  North  in  regard  to  forming  a  General 
Convention,  and  in  the  body  of  Canons  which  they  enacted  under  the 
title  of  "Rules  for  the  Order,  Government  and  Discipline  of  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church  in  Virginia,"  so  admirably  adapted  to  the 
peculiar  conditions  in  which  they  stood,  they  manifested  that  genius 
for  Constitution-making  which  seemed  to  be  inherent  in  the  Virginian 
of  that  day.  In  these  respects  they  krew  clearly  what  they  wanted, 
and  spoke  with  plainness  and  confidence.  But  in  another  direction 
their  worli  seems  to  us  to  leave  much  to  be  desired.  In  view  of  the 
vita,]  needs  of  the  Church,  not  as  an  organization  but  as  a  living  work- 
ing body,  they  lacked  comprehension,  initiative  and  the  foresight  of 
faith.  In  the  face  of  the  actual  situation  confronting  them  in  each 
parish,  of  the  problems  and  demands  of  the  hour  calling  for  practical 
solution  and  aggressive  effort,  they  seemed  almost  powerless,  and  can 
only  recommend  to  the  several  vestries  to  take  the  most  effectual  meas- 
ures for  the  support  of  their  ministers,  and  issue  an  address  to  the 
members  of  the  Church,  mildly  reviewing  the  advantages  of  religion, 
explaining  the  present  situation,  and  exhorting  them  in  this  crisis  "to 
co-operate  fervently  in  the  cause  of  our  Church."  "Of  what  is  the 
Church  now  possessed?"  they  cry  in  plaintive  accents,  and  answer, 
"Nothing  but  the  glebes  and  your  affections."  This  was  the  sum-total 
of  her  estate,  real  and  personal.  One  can  hardly  fail  to  see  the  longing 
backward  glance  at  the  fleshpots  of  Eaypt  made  while  taking  the  in- 
ventory. The  glebes  seemed  to  them  much  the  more  tangible  and  de- 
pendable asset  of  the  two.     It  was  of  the  sort  they  had  been  accustomed 


18 

to  look  to  and  to  estimate.  They  did  not  realize  yet  by  what  an  un- 
certain tenure  even  that  was  held,  as  their  Baptist  friends'  would  show 
them  after  awhile,  or  what  a  source  of  weakness  these  same  glebes 
would  prove,  in  exciting  the  opposition  of  their  enemies  and  diverting 
their  own  energies  for  their  defence.  Still  less  did  they  understand 
the  mine  of  wealth  and  spiritual  power  that  was  latent  in  that  other 
item  of  her  possessions,  the  affections  of  the  people  for  the  Church 
From  that  source  the  Church  in  the  Virginias  draws  now  an  income  of 
half  a  million  dollars  annually.  At  that  day  these  affections  had  never 
been  taught  how  to  express  themselves;  nor  would  they  until,  by  sore 
travail,  the  Church  should  learn  not  to  lean  upon  the  arm  of  flesh,  and 
discover  the  true  source  of  her  strength  and  wherein  was  the  hiding 
of  her  power. 

In  two  years  the  Act  of  Incorporation  was  repealed,  the  other  de- 
nominations continuing  to  protest  against  it  and  refusing  the  offer  of 
the  Legislature  to  have  a  similar  act  passed  in  favor  of  their  own 
Churches.  The  real  injury  done  the  Church  by.  this  repeal  was  small. 
But  as  a  sign  of  her  loss  of  prestige,  and  of  the  continued  persecution 
to  which  she  would  be  subject,  it  added  much  to  her  depression  and 
discouragement.  Yet  she  still  failed  to  see  the  lessons  of  Providence, 
and  to  devote  herself  to  her  development  from  within  rather  than  to 
saving  the  sad  remnants  of  her  former  estate.  After  five  years,  and 
after  one  failure  due  to  her  own  disgraceful  lethargy,  she  had  obtained 
a  Bishop  and  was  now  fully  organized.  A  few  new  clergymen  were 
being  ordained  or  were  coming  in  from  elsewhere,  though  not  enough 
to  take  the  places  of  those  who  died,  much  less  to  fill  what  should  have 
been  the  demand.  The  defection  of  the  Methodists  made  large  in- 
roads in  the  ranks  of  her  adherents.  The  pestilential  spread  of  infi- 
delity still  further  sapped  her  strength.  The  clergy  of  the  old  school 
seemed  impotent  to  cope  with  dissent  or  skepticism,  or  to  adapt  them- 
selves to  a  new  order  of  things.  One  by  one  the  parishes  gave  up  the 
hopeless  struggle  and  passed  into  the  inanition  of  seeming  death.  The 
Conventions  grew  smaller  and  smaller.  The  one  hundred  and  seven 
members  in  1785  became  but  thirty-seven  in  1799.  in  which  year,  by  the 
way,  the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act  repealing  specifically  and  by 
name  all  previous  acts  in  any  way  touching  upon  "the  late  protestant 
episcopal  church."  The  reason  given  was  that  they  tended  toward  the 
re-establishment  of  a  national  Church.  The  real  animus  is  doubtless 
seen  In  the  confiscation  of  the  glebes  which  followed  three  years  later. 


19 

For  many  years  the  Convention  had  been  trying  to  defend  her  right  to 
this  property,  so  solemnly  confirmed  to  the  Church  by  legislative  ac- 
tion. Not  only  were  the  glebes  now  seized,  but  the  right  was  asserted 
to  confiscate  the  Church  buildings  also;  but  this  they  forbore  doing  so 
long  as  they  remained  in  possession  of  tneir  present  owners.  Doubtless 
the  general  expectation  was  that  in  a  short  time  the  few  churches  still 
in  use  would  be  abandoned  and  fall  into  irrevocable  decay,  and  so  the 
last  vestige  of  the  despised  and  discredited  Church  would  pass  away  in 
the  land. 

This  expectation  seemed  in  every  way  likely  to  be  realized.  The 
very  hand  of  Providence  was  interposed  to  prevent  the  Convention 
from  successfully  defending  her  claims  or  continuing  the  hopeless 
struggle.  The  supreme  judiciary  to  which  she  appealed  stood,  after 
the  death  of  Judge  Pendleton,  hopelessly  deadlocked,  and  to  this  day 
her  cause  remains  without  formal  decision  by  the  Court  of  Appeals. 
Doubtless  it  was  most  fortunate  that  it  was  so. 

Several  Conventions  were  held  between  1799  and  1812.  Others,  per- 
haps, failed  for  lack  of  a  quorum.  We  have  the  journal  of  but  one.  For 
several  years  none  was  held,  though  the  number  required  to  form  a 
quorum  had  been  gradually  reduced  from  forty  to  fifteen,  and  was  later 
brought  down  to  twelve.  The  Bishop  and  most  of  the  clergy  had  given 
up  in  despair.  Death  was  annually  reducing  their  ranks,  and  hope- 
lessness, if  nothing  worse,  paralyzed  the  efficiency  of  those  that  rer 
mained.  For  twenty  years  they  had  tried  to  uphold  the  old  Church 
as  they  had  known  and  understood  her,  the  formal,  automatic  Church 
of  the  old  Colonial  parish,  and  it  was  in  vain. 

And  now  it  was  time  for  the  Lord  to  work.  The  Lord  always  has  a 
remnant  that  remains  according  to  the  election  of  grace,  and  through 
these  He  has  performed  the  wonderful  things  in  the  Church's  history. 
The  remnant  of  the  old  Church  remained  in  Virginia  in  numberless; 
homes,  where  the  Prayer  Book  was  still  read  and  pondered,  its  cate- 
chism taught,  its  precepts  followed  and  its  services  longed  for.  An 
extract  from  an  autobiographical  sketch,  which  has  come  into  my  hands, 
written  by  an  aged  saint  lately  gone  to  her  rest,  will  illustrate  this. 
She  is  telling  of  her  grandmother,  who  lived  in  the  days  of  which  we 
are  speaking,  and  says:  "She  was  devotedly  pious  and  a  great  reader. 
The  Prayer  Book  was  her  daily  companion,  and  she  paid  much  atten- 
tion to  the  festivals  and  faithfully  observed  the  fasts.  She  was  my 
godmother.     I  shall  never  forget  an  Easter  night,  when  she  took  the 


20 

Bible  and  read  with  me  the  story  of  the  passion  and  resurrection  from 
the  beginning.  As  she  pointed  out  the  consequences  of  sin,  and  the  ne- 
cessity of  Christ's  death  for  our  salvation,  our  tears  mingled  together, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  reality  of  it  was  impressed  upon  my  mind.  I 
do  not  know  how  old  I  was,  but  the  scene  has  never  faded  from  my 
memory." 

Hundreds  of  similar  records  could  be  gathered  from  the  annals  of  our 
old  families.  The  Church  still  lived  in  the  homes,  in  the  affections,  in 
the  traditions,  in  the  very  blood  of  her  children.  About  one  year  before 
the  death  of  Bishop  Madison,  when  the  Church  was  at  the  lowest  ebb  of 
her  fortunes,  he  ordained  to  the  ministry  a  son  of  one  of  these  homes, 
and  in  the  Convention  which  was  called  after  the  Bishop's  death  in  1812, 
among  the  fourteen  clerical  and  the  same  number  of  lay  delegates  that 
assembled,  the  Rev.  William  Meade  took  his  seat  for  the  first  time. 
The  next  day  the  Rev.  William  H.  Wilmer,  lately  come  to  Alexandria 
from  Maryland,  sat  by  his  side,  and  the  human  instruments  who  were 
to  move  for  the  revival  of  the  Church  were  prepared. 

Bishop  Meade  was  one  of  the  great  Virginians.  In  the  work  that  he 
accomplished  and  its  abiding  results,  in  his  capacity  for  leadership,  in 
genius,  wisdom  and  character,  he  stood,  if  not  in  the  very  first  rank, 
then  among  the  foremost  in  the  second.  Perhaps  he  was  lacking  in  a 
certain  breadth  of  mind,  for  his  convictions  were  very  deep.  Doubt- 
less he  was  cast  in  a  somewhat  stern  Cromwellian  mould;  his  work  de- 
manded that.  But  he  accomplished  great  things.  Men  trusted  him, 
and  he  led  them  aright  to  high  and  righteous  ends.  He  was  a  re- 
former, an  upbuilder,  a  restorer  of  paths  to  dwell  in.  He  had  all  the 
qualities  of  a  great  commander,  and  in  a  lesser  degree  those  of  a  states- 
man, and  they  were  consecrated  without  reserve  to  a  single  definite 
end  in  the  hand  of  God.  Bishop  Moore  was  the  Ezra,  but  Bishop 
Meade  was  the  Nehemiah  of  the  Restoration,  who  built  the  walls  and 
planted  the  towers  of  our  Jerusalem  on  sure  foundations. 

I  need  not  remind  you  how  conspicuously  the  Divine  Providence 
wrought  in  bringing  Bishop  Moore  to  Virginia  as  her  second  Bishop. 
With  that  event  the  revival  of  the  Chuich  began.  Dr.  Hodges,  misinter- 
preting a  statement  of  Bishop  Meade's,  says  there  were  but  five  clergy- 
men then  at  work  in  Virginia;  but  at  no  time  were  there  less  than  thir- 
teen ministers  in  charge  of  parishes  in  the  Diocese,  though  some  of  them 
were  now  old  men,  and  there  were  doubtless  but  five  yoking  ministers 
qualified   for  the  task  before  them.     Very  slowly  at  first  the  number 


21 

increased,  and  with  it  the  number  of  parishes  which  began  to  take  on 
new  life.  But  under  a  Bishop  who  had  had  no  part  in  her  late  woes, 
and  who  would  not  know  an  old  glebe  if  he  saw  one,  the  Church  turned 
her  back  upon  a  painful  past  and  her  face  to  the  sunrise. 

Time  would  not  admit,  nor  does  need  require,  that  we  should  follow 
the  onward  course  of  the  Diocese  under  the  new  order.  The  Church 
had  learned  her  lesson — "Not  by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit, 
saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  And  He  clothed  her  with  change  of  rai- 
ment, and  set  a  fair  mitre  upon  her  head,  and  caused  her  iniquity  to 
pass  from  her.     And  He  set  her  feet  in  a  large  room. 

"In  every  parish  which  I  have  visited,"  said  Bishop  Moore  in  his 
first  Convention  address,  "I  have  discovered  the  most  animated  wish 
in  the  people  to  repair  the  waste  places  in  our  Zion,  and  to  restore 
the  Church  of  their  fathers  to  its  primitive  purity  and  excellence.  I 
have  found  their  minds  alive  to  the  truths  of  religion,  and  have  dis- 
covered an  attachment  to  our  excellent  liturgy  exceeding  my  utmost 
expectations.  I  have  witnessed  a  sensibility  to  divine  things  bordering 
on  the  spirit  of  gospel  times.  I  have  seen  congregations,  upon  the 
mention  of  that  glory  which  once  irradiated  with  its  beams  the  Church 
of  Virginia,  burst  into  tears,  and  by  their  holy  emotions  perfectly  elec- 
trify my  mind." 

The  good  Bishop's  experiences  at  that  time  were  but  limited  indeed, 
and  his  observations  had  been  made  under  the  most  favorable  conditions. 
But  so  long  as  he  could  speak  thus  the  Church  was  not  dead,  nor  had 
the  affections  of  her  people  failed.  To  restore  the  Church  to  far  more 
than  her  pristine  glory  and  prosperity,  to  meet  her  spiritual  needs, 
and  to  equip  her  for  future  ministrations  of  righteousness,  her  nurs- 
ing fathers  of  that  day  and  their  followers  laid  stress  upon  four  points, 
which   I  shall  do  little  more  than  enumerate. 

First:  They  depended  upon  the  power  of  the  gospel  of  Christ  cru- 
cified, preached  with  what,  alas!  we  now  call  old-fashioned  evangelical 
simplicity  and  fervor.  They  were  not  concerned  about  propping  up 
the  cross,  but  were  intent  on  holding  it  up  before  the  heart  and  con- 
science. Their  theology  had  a  strong  tinge  of  Calvinism,  no  doubt, 
but  it  was  remarkably  free  from  any  weaker  dilutions.  This  was  their 
remedy  for  the  Church's  ailments,  their  instrument  for  her  upbuilding, 
and  their  protest  at  first  against  the  latitudinarianism  of  a  former 
age,  and  afterwards  against  the  sacerdotalism  of  the  tractarian  move- 
ment.    We  of  to-day   may  well   consider  whether  any   better   remedy, 


22 

or  more  effective  instrument,  or  more  emphatic  protest,  has  yet  been 
discovered. 

Secondly:  They  gave  themselves  to  restoring  the  grace  of  Disci- 
pline in  the  Church,  a  revival  which  God  grant  may  never  be  as  greatly 
needed  again!  It  was  not  without  significance  that  the  Canon,  "Of  the 
Trial  of  a  Clergyman,"  for  so  many  years  stood  first  in  the  code  of 
Virginia  Canons.  It  had  to  be  revised,  sharpened  up  and  fortified  at 
least  twelve  times  after  1785,  when  the  nucleus  of  it  was  first  enacted. 
Bishop  Meade  and  a  few  others  fought  doggedly  for  many  years  for 
the  constitutional  amendment  requiring  delegates  to  Convention  to 
be  communicants,  and  only  carried  the  point  in  1835.  The  old  Canon 
XIX  was  another  monument  of  their  not  ill-directed  zeal  for  purity 
of  life  in  the  Church,  and  was  needful  for  those  times.  Strong  meas- 
ures were  required  to  restore  the  confidence  of  the  people  in  the  stan- 
dards of  personal  piety  upheld  by  a  Church  which  had  been  so  long 
discredited  by  her  sons  and  vilified  by  her  enemies. 

Thirdly:  With  long  patience  and  by  many  experiments  they 
taught  the  duty,  and  gave  opportunity  for  the  exercise,  of  liberality 
and  devotion  in  the  support  of  the  Church  and  its  extension  by  mis- 
sionary effort.  The  leaders  themselves  had  everything  to  learn  of  a 
practical  sort  in  this  direction,  and  not  a  few  expedients  were  adopted 
and  tentative  efforts  made  before  our  numerous  Diocesan  institutions 
and  funds  were  placed  on  their  present  foundations,  and  especially 
before  the  Diocesan  Missionary  Society  was  evolved,  and  the  people 
taught  to  love  it  and  to  be  partakers  in  its  work  as  a  personal  obliga- 
tion and  privilege,  as  they  do  to-day.  It  was  no  small  part  of  the  good 
foundation  laid  by  those  fathers  of  the  Virginia  Church  that,  by  slow 
degrees  and  prayerful  effort,  tUey  taught  her  people  to  give  of  their 
substance  to  the  Lord,  not  only  in  the  support  of  their  own  parishes, 
but  in  furthering  the  holy  enterprise  of  missions. 

And  lastly:  Out  of  what  was  felt  to  be  the  greatest  need  of  the 
revived  Church  grew  her  crowning  glory  and  her  richest  gift  to  the 
cause  of  religion.  Of  the  ministers  under  whom  the  restoration  of 
the  Church  began,  but  a  few  comparatively,  certainly  not  as  many  as 
half,  were  native  Virginians.  For  many  years  her  ministry  was  re- 
cruited from  beyond  the  borders  of  the  State,  and  indeed  throughout 
her  history  a  surprisingly  large  proportion  of  her  most  distinguished 
and  useful  clergymen  were  but  adopted  sons  of  the  old  Commonwealth. 
The    fact    has   been    overlooked    because   they    uniformly    became    such 


23 

intense  Virginians  in  loyalty  and  sentiment  as  to  be  proudly  reckoned 
among  the  very  elect.  But  from  the  beginning  the  need  of  a  ministry 
"native  and  to  the  manner  born,"  and  vi^ell  trained  and  equipped  for 
their  vi^ork,  was  felt  to  be  imperative.  The  standard  of  ministerial 
fitness  was  placed  very  high  by  our  early  bishops,  and  it  has  never  been 
lowered.  They  purposed  that  the  future  of  the  Church  should  be 
committed  to  faithful  men  trained  according  to  those  standards,  ground- 
ed and  settled  in  the  faith  of  the  simple,  positive  and  unadulterated 
gospel  in  which  they  believed  and  of  which  they  were  not  ashamed. 
From  this  purpose,  under  singular  displays  of  divine  blessing,  grew 
the  Theological  Seminary  in  Virginia,  from  which  has  gone  forth 
streams  to  make  glad  the  City  of  God  in  all  lands. 

God  help  us  to  be  worthy  successors  of  such  men — to  learn  the  les- 
sons and  to  keep  the  charge  which  the  history  of  the  Virginia  Church 
lays  upon  all  her  sons! 


The  Church  in  Virginia  m  the  Days  of 
the  Colony. 

BY    THE    REV.    JOSEPH    li.    Dl  .\  N ,    OF    NORFOLK,    VA. 

^  rs^HE  two  principal  sources  of  authority  in  regard  to  the  Colonial 
Church  of  Virginia  are  Hening's  Statutes  and  the  old  vestry 
2_i  books  of  the  different  parishes.  During  the  period  of  her  as- 
cendency in  Virginia  the  Church  needed  no  defender  nor  apolo- 
gist, and  after  the  Revolution,  when  her  organization  was  shattered, 
her  property  taken  from  her,  and  her  clergy  scattered,  the  Church  was 
left  helpless. 

The  Church  had  always  been  a  part  of  the  organic  life  of  the  Colony, 
but  never  a  part  of  its  politics.  She  was  not  organized  for  political 
ends,  nor  did  she  have  any  political  traditions  nor  training.  She 
was  never  a  party  in  the  Colony.  To  understand  her  downfall,  it  is 
necessary  to  understand  the  position  thi  Church  held  in  the  community 
during  the  Colonial  period.  This  position  has  never  been  fairly  stated. 
Dr.  Hawks,  in  the  preparation  of  the  History  of  the  Virginia  Church, 
was  dependent  for  his  materials  in  matters  relating  to  the  Church  upon 
the  works  of  the  Baptists,  Presbyterians  and  Methodists,  the  men  who 
together  wrought  the  destruction  of  the  Church.  Bishop  Meade  ac- 
cepts the  thesis  of  Dr.  Hawks,  borrowed  as  it  is  from  the  political 
briefs  of  the  enemy  of  the  Church,  and  though  he  had  access  to  the 
vestry  books  of  the  early  Church,  he  uses  them  to  defend  the  thesis. 
His  work  is  rather  that  of  an  annalist  than  a  historian. 

The  history  of  the  Church  in  Virginia  reflects  fully  and  accurately 
the  life  of  her  people;  and  the  reckless  condemnation  of  that  Church 
has  made  incomprehensible  the  lives  of  her  public  men,  who  were  in 
most  cases  devoted  Churchmen.  If  we  accept  the  thesis  of  the  Churcn's 
enemies,  then  Washington,  Mason,  Nelson  and  the  Lees  were  all  excep- 
tions to  the  rule  of  a  corrupt  and  reckless  gentry.  This  suppositio  . 
ib  so  preposterous  that  one  Baptist  historian  attempts  to  explain 
Washington  on  the  supposition  that  he  was  at  heart  a  Baptist. 

The  Church  in  Virginia  was  from  the  first  the  Church  of  the  people 
rather  than  the  Church  of  the  clergy.     The  churches  were  built  by  the 


ii^^i 


sa^-*. 


Rt.  Rev.  James  Madison,  D.  D., 
Last  Rector  of  Jamestown  and  first  Bishop  of  Virginia. 


25 

l-eople,  and  the  demand  for  clergy  was  always  greater  than  the  supply. 
As  the  people  built  the  churches,  purchased  the  glebes  and  furnished 
and  stocked  them  out  of  their  own  means,  they  naturally  coniended 
that  they  were  the  owners  thereof.  The  spirit  of  independence  ex- 
hibited in  the  Virginia  Assembly  was  the  spirit  of  the  people,  and 
found  expression  in  the  vestry  meeting  as  in  the  halls  of  legislature. 
The  people  of  Virginia  identified  themselves  with  the  Church  as  they 
identified  themselves  with  the  government.  They  were  the  Church 
as  they  were  the  State.  In  the  patent  which  gave  to  the  Bishop  of 
London  the  spiritual  oversight  of  the  Colony  the  right  of  induction 
was  expressly  reserved  to  the  Governor  of  the  Colony.  The  vestries 
did  not  fight  the  letter  of  this  law,  out  they  made  it  inoperative  by 
persistently  asserting  that  they,  as  the  representatives  of  the  people, 
were  the  patrons  of  the  livings;  and  that  neither  the  king  nor  the 
governor,  as  the  representative  of  the  king,  could  claim  the  right  of 
presentation,  which  was  an  inalienable  right  of  the  people  themselves. 
The  vestry  was  elected  by  the  people  and  held  office  for  an  indefinite 
period.  In  most  cases  the  vestry  was  a  self-perpetuating  body,  filling 
vacancies  in  their  number  by  their  own  choice;  and  yet  the  people 
never  wholly  surrendered  their  authority;  for  in  some  cases,  upon  de- 
mand of  the  people  themselves,  Iflie  vestry  was  dissolved  by  an  Act  of 
Assembly.  The  vestry  were  generally  the  most  conspicuous  and  in- 
fiuential  members  of  the  community.  Their  duties  were  not  wholly 
ecclesiastical,  for  to  them  was  entrusted  the  care  of  the  poor  of  the 
parish  and  the  holding  of  all  trust  funds  for  such  purposes.  They 
appointed  the  procession-masters,  and  to  them  was  made  the  report  of 
ihe  processioning.  As  these  processionings  established  the  bounds  of 
every  free-holder's  property,  the  business  was  of  great  importance. 
They  fixed  the  rate  of  taxation  for  tithes,  and  to  them  all  tithes  were 
paid.  The  long  tenure  of  office  and  the  importance  and  prestige  at- 
taching to  the  position  of  a  vestryman  inevitably  produced  an  aris- 
tocratic and  autocratic  spirit  in  the  men  who  composed  the  vestry. 
This  august  and  closely  organized  body  were  in  very  truth  "The 
twelve  lords  of  the  parish." 

The  status  of  the  clergy  was  no  less  clearly  fixed.  The  parson  was 
the  duly  appointed  officer  in  the  Church,  whose  duties  were  well  marked 
out,  and  whose  authority  was  carefully  defined.  The    minister   was 

chosen  by  the  vestry,  and  they  were  responsible  to  the  people  for  the 
character  and  efficiency  of  their  appointee.     The  vestry  made  earnest 


26 

effort  that  the  parish  might  be  always  supplied  with  a  minister,  but 
every  church  and  chapel  was  provided  with  a  salaried  clerk,  who 
read  the  services  regularly,  and  the  lack  of  a  minister  did  not  prevent 
the  people  from  attending  the  services  of  the  Church.  No  vestryman 
could  hold  the  office  of  clerk.  Wherever  a  sufficient  number  of  citizens 
settled  in  any  portion  of  the  Colony,  a  chapel  was  immediately  pro- 
vided by  the  vestry  and  a  clerk  appointed. 

The  taxes  for  maintaining  the  Church  establishment  were  called 
tithes.  These  tithes  went  for  the  minister's  salary,  the  salary  of  the 
clerk  and  the  maintenance  and  building  of  churches  and  chapels  and 
for  the  support  of  the  poor.  Every  male  inhabitant  over  sixteen  was 
tithable,  and  the  tithe  varied  from  thirty  to  sixty  pounds  of  tobacco 
per  poll,  according  to  the  immediate  needs  of  the  parish. 

The  Church  was  the  People,  and  the  People  the  Church;  but  the 
attitude  of  the  people  towards  dissenters  was  expressed  not  by  the 
Church  as  an  ecclesiastical  establishment,  but  by  the  representatives 
of  the  people  in  their  legislative  and  executive  capacity.  So  far  from 
being  a  persecuting  Church,  the  Church  as  a  Church  did  not  attempt 
to  control  these  matters,  which  were  everywhere  deemed  a  part  of  the 
civil  order.  The  expulsion  of  the  Puritan  preachers  and  the  breaking 
up  of  the  Puritan  congregations  in  Nansemond  and  Norfolk  counties, 
a  few  months  before  the  execution  of  Charles  I.,  were  acts  not  of  the 
Church,  but  of  the  Governor's  Council,  and  the  charge  against  the 
Puritans  was  disloyalty  to  the  Government  and  to  the  King.  The 
famous  and  oft-quoted  statute  against  the  Quakers,  expelling  them 
from  the  Colony  and  providing  that  if  they  returned  the  second  time, 
they  should  be  proceeded  against  as  felons,  takes  on  a  very  different 
color  when  the  statute  is  given  in  full,  and  not  in  the  garbled  form 
in  which  it  appears  in  the  partisan  histories  of  the  sects.  The  statute 
closes  with  these  words:  "Provided,  always,  and  be  it  further  enacted, 
that  if  any  of  the  said  persons,  Quakers  or  other  separatists,  shall, 
after  such  conviction,  give  security  that  he,  she  or  they  shall  for  the 
time  to  come  forbear  to  meet  in  any  such  unlawful  assemblies  as 
aforesaid,  that  then  and  from  thenceforth  such  person  or  persons  shall 
be  discharged  from  all  the  penaUies  aforesaid,  anything  in  this  act 
to  the  contrary  notwithstanding."  (Hen.,  Vol.  2,  p.  183.)  The  statute 
was  directed  against  organized  opposition  to  the  laws  and  institutions 
of  the  Colony,  and  no  attempt  is  made  to  deprive  the  individual  of 
his  liberty  of  thought  and  utterance,  so  long  as  he  with  others  did  not 
attempt  to  overtlirow  the  civil  law. 


The  tact  that  there  was  no  Episcopal  authority  within  the  Colony, 
and  that  the  make-shift  of  a  commissary  was  never  accepted  either  by 
the  clergy  or  the  people,  forced  the  vestries  to  assume  functions  prop- 
erly belonging  to  ecclesiastical  courts.  In  the  event  of  the  bad  be- 
havior of  any  of  the  clergy,  he  was  summoned  before  the  vestry  and 
tried;  and  if  the  charges  were  proven,  he  was  expelled,  or  if  by  any 
chance  he  had  been  inducted  into  the  living,  he  was  ijrosecuted  before 
the  authorities  at  the  seat  of  government.  That  the  vestry,  as  the 
representatives  of  the  people,  did  demand  a  high  standard  of  life  ajid 
character  on  the  part  of  the  clergy  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that 
in  some  cases,  even  though  it  brought  open  reproach  upon  the  Church, 
they  turned  the  offending  minister  out  of  his  office.  The  fidelity  of 
the  vestries  in  this  matter  was  one  day  to  furnish  to  the  enemies  of 
the  Church  material  for  a  bitter  arraignment  of  the  Church  itself. 

The  Church,  in  its  parish  organization,  reflected  the  life  and  social 
standards  of  the  Virginians.  Birth  and  position  were  among  the  ac- 
knowledged requisites  for  membership  in  the  House  of  Burgesses,  and  the 
like  requirements  were  considered  essential  in  the  choice  of  a  vestry- 
man. The  government  of  the  Colony  and  the  government  of  the  Church 
in  Virginia  were  both  alike  democratic,  but  it  was  the  democracy  of 
Athens,  not  of  Rome.  The  landed  gentry  both  in  the  Assembly  and  in 
the  vestry  were  the  representatives  of  the  people,  and  till  the  middle  of 
the  eighteenth  century  no  one  questioned  the  established  order.  One 
class  in  this  social  order  was  gradually  crystallizing  in  its  hatred  of  the 
aristocratic  form  of  government.  This  was  the  class  of  overseers.  This 
class  was,  in  fact,  the  only  element  in  the  Colony  which  had  ever  been 
subjected  to  persecution,  though  the  persecutors  were  apparently  ob- 
livious of  the  fact  of  any  injustice  on  their  part.  The  "overseer  legis- 
lation" in  the  Colony  was  all  of  a  kind  to  breed  a  deep  and  abidinr 
hatred  of  the  established  order  in  the  hearts  of  those  affected  by  it.  It 
was  provided  by  law  that  the  overseer  should  live  in  a  house  adjacent 
to  the  negro  quarters;  he  could  own  only  one  horse,  and  he  was  not 
allowed  to  attend  muster,  which  was  the  great  event  of  the  year  in 
country  life.  These  overseers  were,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  the 
most  skillful  farmers,  and  accustomed  to  exercise  authority,  and  yet, 
by   a  curious   twist  of   legislation,   they  were   practically   pariahs. 

The  very  church  building  itself,  with  the  best  pews  reserved  for  the 
magistrates  and  their  families,  and  with  the  private  galleries  erected 
at   their  own  cost  by  the  rich  men  of  the  parish,  gave  an  added  em- 


28 

pliasis  to  the  aristocratic  nature  of  State  and  Church.  When  the  Bap- 
tists .:cininence(i  their  efforts  they  found  plenty  of  inflammable  mate- 
rial, especially  among  the  large  class  of  overseers;  and  in  the  days  of 
agitation  and  unrest  that  preceded  the  tremendous  social  upheaval  of 
the  Revolution,  the  discontented  found  a  golden  opportunity.  The 
Church  of  England  in  Virginia  became  the  target  for  abuse  on  the  lips 
of  those  who  were  proclaiming  their  hatred  of  all  things  English.  The 
fiist  Baptist  Association,  which  was  i.rofessedly,  in  its  inception,  in 
1770,  a  political  organization,  was  sworn  to  the  destruction  of  the 
Church. 

Suddenly  the  Church  found  herself  attacked  by  a  host  of  men,  who 
maligned  her  clergy,  ridiculed  her  institutions  and  fought  her  with 
weapons  new  even  to  that  kind  of  warfare.  The  Church  was  taken 
by  surprise.  She  had  no  weapons  with  which  to  fight  vulgar  abuse, 
nor  would  she  be  embroiled  in  what  she  conceived  to  be  a  social  rather 
than  a  religious  quarrel.  Sometimes  the  agitator,  when  he  became  in- 
fufferable,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  constable,"  and  straightway  the 
Church  was  painted  as  a  bloody  persecutor.  In  none  of  these  so-called 
persecutions  does  the  Church  appear  as  the  prosecutor.  The  charge 
brought  against  the  victims  was  "breach  of  the  peace,"  and  the  arrest 
was  made  by  the  sheriff  or  magistrate.  The  offender  was  set  at  lib- 
erty when  he  furnished  a  peace  bond.  The  persecuted  martyrs  of  Vir- 
ginia were  offenders  against  civil  law,  and  were  victims  not  of  the 
Church's  hate,  but  of  the  justice  of  a  magistrate's  court  oefore  which 
they  were  tried  for  intemperate  speech  and  creating  a  disturbance.  At 
the  very  time  when  these  supposed  persecutions  were  going  on,  the  law 
(f  the  land  gave  them  the  right  to  apply  in  court  for  licensed  houses 
for  the  worship  of  God  according  to  their  own  conscience.  The  offend- 
ers, failing  to  comply  with  the  law,  were,  like  other  offenders  against 
the  law,  punished  by  the  courts. 

The  forces  that  led  to  the  final  overthrow  of  the  Church  were  in  part 
religious  and  political,  but  still  more,  perhaps,  were  they  social  and 
economic.  To  destroy  the  Establishment  meant  to  dethrone  the  twelve 
lords  of  the  parish,  to  humiliate  the  aristocrats,  and  last,  but  not 
least,  to  do  away  with  parish  dues.  By  depriving  the  vestry  of  its 
powers  and  the  Church  of  its  property,  and  then  by  raising  hue  and 
cry  against  clergy  and  Church  as  English  in  name  and  sympathy,  the 
Church  was  first  despoiled  and  then  overthrowui. 

When  the  Revolution  was  over,   the  new   State  presented  a  strange 


29 

condidon  of  affairs.  A  large  element  of  the  population  that  had  for- 
merly taken  but  little  interest  in  public  affairs  had,  during  the  long 
years  of  turmoil,  come  into  prominence.  The  Baptists,  especially,  were 
organized  as  a  political  party.  The  spirit  of  the  age  was  against  con- 
servatism and  aristocracy.  The  traditions  of  the  Church  in  Virginia 
forbade  her  to  enter  the  political  arena  The  legislature  was  flooded 
with  petitions  from  the  enemies  of  the  Church,  demanding  her  destruc- 
tion. The  Church  had  but  one  reply,  and  that  was  to  beg  that  the 
questions  at  issue  be  submitted  to  the  people  of  the  State  to  decide. 
This  request  was  denied  her.  The  new  religio-political  parties  were 
well  organized  and  very  active,  and  the  public  men  of  Virginia  found 
a  strong  instrument  ready  for  use.  Political  power  was  still  in  the 
hands  of  the  aristocracy,  but  a  new  party,  zealous  with  i-eligious  en- 
thusiasm, was  clamoring  for  recognition.  The  men  who  had  put  forth 
the  Bill  of  Rights  found  that  keen  instrument  turned  upon  its  authors. 
They  did  not  flinch  from  the  ordeal.  The  committee  appointed  to  re- 
vise the  laws  of  the  Commonwealth  reported  an  act  establishing  Re- 
ligious Freedom.  That  committee  was  composed  of  five  men — Jeffer- 
son, Pendleton,  Wythe,  Mason  and  Lee.  All  except  Jefferson  were  ac- 
tive members  of  the  vestries  of  the  Established  Church,  and  Jefferson's 
name  also  was  in  the  list  of  the  vestrymen  of  St.  Anne's  Parish,  though 
there  is  no  record  that  he  exercised  the  function  of  his  office.  When 
the  Church  was  dis-established,  the  deed  was  wrought  by  the  sons  of 
the  Church.  There  was  no  compulsion  resting  on  them  to  do  this  thing, 
for  the  question  had  not  been  submitted  to  the  people  at  large.  These 
men  deemed  it  a  political  necessity  and  a  necessary  corollary  of  the 
Bill  of  Rights,  and  they,  without  a  dissenting  voice,  signed  the  war- 
rant for  the  dissolution  of  the  Church  of  their  affections.  Such  was 
the  spirit  of  the  laymen  who,  from  the  beginning,  had  guided  the 
councils  and  controlled  the  destiny  of  the  Church  in  Virginia. 

But  this  act  was  fraught  with  consequences  undreamed  of  by  its  au- 
thors. The  enemies  of  the  Church  deemed  that  they  had  won  a  great 
victory,  and  they  never  rested  till  the  Church  was  despoiled  of  its  pos- 
sessions. For  the  first  time  in  history  there  was  a  persecuting  Church 
in  Virginia.  The  campaign  of  hostility  and  invective  was  unrelenting 
and  ruthless.  The  Church,  for  nearly  twenty  years,  was  despaired  of 
even  by  those  who  loved  her.  The  spirit  of  her  despoilers  did  not  win 
the  allegiance  of  Churchmen  to  the  only  organized  religious  life  in  the 
State.     A  period  of  religious  depression  followed  the  overthrow  of  the 


30 

Church.  Many  of  the  gentry  of  Virginia  were  without  a  Clxurch;  and 
love  of  State  became  the  only  religion  with  many  of  this  class.  Bishop 
Meade's  description  of  the  low  ebb  of  religious  life  among  the  upper 
classes  in  Virginia  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry  is  doubtless  a 
faithful  picture.  The  cause  of  this  condition  is  likewise  apparent. 
That  the  character  of  the  men  still  remained  high  in  spite  of  religious 
apathy,  or  even  hostility,  is  due  to  that  social  code,  in  obedience  to 
which  the  Virginian  gave  a  fuller  and  richer  meaning  to  the  name  of 
gentleman.  They  were  for  a  quarter  ot  a  century  irreligious  in  their 
lack  of  recognition  of  the  duty  of  accepting  organized  and  systematized 
Christianity,  but  some  of  what  we  now  call  the  Christian  graces  were 
beautifully  exemplified  in  their  daily  intercourse  with  fellows. 

During  the  long  years  of  war  the  clergy  became  scattered.  There 
was  no  possibility  of  obtaining  ministers  except  from  England,  and  it 
was  no  time  for  an  Englishman  to  begin  his  labors  in  Virginia:  and 
there  was  no  security  for  his  support,  even  if  he  were  brave  enough  to 
make  the  venture.  On  the  other  hand,  the  ministers  of  the  denomina- 
tions multiplied  indefinitely.  It  was  not  until  the  effects  of  the  Revo- 
lution began  to  die  out  that  the  old  aristocratic  order  of  society  began 
to  assert  itself  again.  The  hatred  of  all  things  English  was  the  lever 
used  to  overthrow  the  Church  and  to  keep  her  in  the  dust.  The  feeling 
against  the  mother  country  was  not  allowed  to  die  out,  as  it  was  too 
valuable  a  political  asset  to  let  slip.  So  strong  and  so  lasting  was  the 
feeling  that  Benjamin  Watkins  Leigh,  in  the  Virginia  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1829-'30,  exclaimed:  "I  know  it  is  the  fashion  to  decry 
everything  that  is  English,  or  supposed  to  be  so.  I  know  that,  in  the 
opinion  of  many,  it  is  enough  to  condemn  any  proposition  in  morals 
or  in  politics,  to  denounce  it  as  English  doctrine."  This  statement  of 
Senator  Leigh  is  a  luminous  commentary  on  the  history  of  the  Church 
in  Virginia. 

History  presents  no  more  striking  example  of  a  Church  of  the  people 
than  is  found  in  the  Church  of  Colonial  Virginia.  The  people  not  only 
maintained  the  Church  as  established,  but  extended  it  to  meet  the 
needs  of  a  growing  population.  They  voluntarily  assumed  the  care 
and  support  of  all  the  poor  in  the  community.  They  not  only  clothed, 
but  educated  the  orphan  and  the  waif.  They  demanded  of  their  clergy 
that  they  lead  exemplary  lives,  and  expelled  them  from  office  when 
they  fell  short  of  this  ideal.  They  held  loyalty  to  God  and  to  His 
Church   not    an   accident,   but   an   essential   of  good   citizenship.     They 


31 

appointed  from  among  themselves  clerks  to  read  the  services  and  ser- 
mons in  the  absence  of  an  ordained  minister,  and  the  Church  was  their 
home.  The  Colonial  Church  of  Virginia  produced  the  largest  breed 
of  men  yet  seen  upon  this  continent.  This  Church  was  overthrown  in 
a  social  cataclysm,  but  even  in  the  hour  of  her  dissolution  she  was 
true  to  her  traditions.  She  had  preached  good  citizenship  and  obedi- 
ence to  law;  and  when  her  enemies  despoiled  her  of  her  property  and 
made  her  splendid  lineage  the  ground  of  an  accusation  of  shame,  she 
raised  no  voice  in  protest.  Her  property  was  taken  away  by  law,  and 
she  submitted  to  that  law,  never  claiming  the  halo  of  martyr  nor  call- 
ing legislation  persecution.  Even  to  the  end  she  persistently  refused 
to  become  embroiled  in  the  bitter  strife  of  words.  Her  story  has  never 
been  told,  and  her  children  to-day  know  her  only  from  the  partisan  and 
libelous  screeds  of  her  destroyers.  The  Church,  in  her  actual  adminis- 
trative life,  was  aristocratic,  but  so  was  the  life  of  the  people  whom 
she  served.  It  was  the  aristocracy  of  birth,  it  is  true;  but  it  was  also 
the  aristocracy  of  worth,  and  its  creed  of  noblesse  oblige  kept  her  si- 
lent even  when  men  maligned  her  and  robbed  her  under  forms  of  law. 


A  Preliminary  View  of  American  Church 

History. 

BY   THE  REV.   OORBIN   BRAXTON   BRYAN,    1).    I).,   OF   PETERSBURG,    VA. 


T 


:^HE  importance  of  the  settlement  at  Jamestown  lies  in  the  fact 
that  then,  at  last,  the  English  race  began  to  come  into  perma- 
nent possession  of  their  portion  in  the  New  World,  and  to 
shape  the  destiny  of  this  continent.  They  were  belated  in 
so  doing,  but  when  they  came  they  brought  •  with  them  princi- 
ples, civil  and  religious,  which  in  the  circumstances,  they  could  hardly 
have  brought  sooner;  and  to  which,  under  God,  they  owe  the  supremacy 
they  have  achieved. 

As  introductory  to  these  historical  papers,  a  brief  review  of  the 
conditions  under  which  Virginia  was  settled  seems  appropriate. 

When  in  1493  tl  3  Portugese  had  rounded  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope, 
and  begun  to  explore  the  East  Indies,  and  the  Spaniard  was  taking 
possession  of  the  Western  World,  Pope  Alexander  VI.  (Rodrigo  Bor- 
gia) was  appealed  to  by  the  Kings  of  Spain  and  Portugal  to  adjust 
their  claim  in  their  new  discoveries.  This  he  did  by  dividing  the 
privileges  of  discovering  and  colonizing  the  unknown  parts  of  the 
world  between  these  two  great  powers,  the  line  of  division  being  an 
imaginary  line  which  was  supposed  to  be  drawn  from  pole  to  pole 
one  hundred  degrees  west  of  the  Azores.  No  account  was  taken  of 
any  interest  which  the  rest  of  the  world  might  have  or  might  come 
to  have  in  discovery  and  colonization;  all  was  turned  over  bodily  by 
the  Pope  to  Portugal  and  Spain.  We  smile  at  such  a  performance 
now;   but  it  meant  a  great  deal  when  it  was  done. 

With  the  work  of  Portugal  we  have  nothing  to  do;  that  lay  ea.stward. 
But  after  more  than  one  hundred  years  of  amazing  activity.  Spain 
had  possessed  herself  of  the  West  Indies,  Mexico,  the  richest  parts 
of  South  America,  and  had  reached  across  the  Pacific  and  laid  her 
hands  upon  the  Philippines.  She  had  established  herself  in  Florida, 
had  traversed  the  land  from  Florida  to  South  Carolina  and  acioss  to 
the  Mississippi,  and  claimed  it  all.  along  with  what  we  now  call  Vir- 


33 

ginia,  as  a  part  of  her  West  Indian  territory.  Out  ot  these  vast  re- 
sources she  had  reaped  incalculable  treasure. 

England  as  yet  had  not  a  single  colony.  But  England  had  not  been 
idle.  She,  too,  had  made  great  gains.  During  the  ninety-four  years 
between  the  death  of  Henry  VII.  and  the  accession  of  James  I.,  Lon- 
don had  become  the  greatest  mart  of  trade  and  commerce  in  the  civil- 
ized world.  The  ships  of  English  merchants  were  on  every  sea;  and 
in  exploration,  and  in  all  naval  matters,  from  being  comparatively  in- 
significant, England  had  come  to  the  very  front.  This  was  equally 
true  in  social  advancement,  and  especially  in  literature.  But  most 
important  of  all,  the  Reformation  of  the  English  Church  had  been 
accomplished.  During  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  and  in  the  midst  of 
how  great  struggle  to  maintain  the  independence  of  England,  the 
Church  of  England  had  become  gradually  and  permanently  Protestant; 
and  for  forty  years  previous  to  the  settlement  of  Jamestown,  England 
stood  as  the  leader  and  champion  of  the  Reformation. 

For  two  generations  the  power  of  Spain,  armed  with  the  exhaustless 
wealth  of  the  Indies,  and  directed  by  the  fanatical  minds  of  the  Em- 
peror Charles  V.  and  his  son  PTiilip  II.,  bent  upon  the  aggrandizement 
of  the  Kingdom  of  Spain  and  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  had  threatened 
the  civil  and  religious  liberty  of  every  Protestant  power  in  Europe. 
During  that  period,  any  settlement  of  Englishmen  in  America  had 
proved  impossible.  It  was  all  England  could  do  to  maintain  her  in- 
dependence at  home,  and  assist  others  struggling  in  the  same  cause. 
This  she  did  throughout  the  long  reign  of  Elizabeth,  giving  assist- 
ance and  a  refuge  for  the  French  Huguenots,  and  fighting  the  battles 
of  the  Dutch  against  Spain  in  the  Netherlands.  At  last,  in  the  over- 
throw of  the  Armada  in  1588,  the  liberty  of  England  was  assured; 
and  upon  the  accession  of  James  I.  peace  was  established  between 
Spain  and  England,  and  a  better  opportunity  was  thereby  afforded 
for  the  settlement  of  an  English  colony  in  America.  But  though  peace 
had  been  declared,  war  was  in  the  hearts  of  both  nations,  and  many 
of  the  English  who,  under  Elizabeth  had  been  fighting  Spain  lor  years, 
went  over  to  the  Netherlands,  and  continued  the  fight  there  in  behalf 
of  the  Dutch. 

In  the  meantime,  the  great  question  of  religion,  on  which  all  the 
rest  hinged,  had  been  determined,  and  so  a  colony  could  be  estab- 
lished homogeneous  in  faith  as  Protestants:  and  no  sooner  was  the 
peace  declared  than  the  minds  of  the  English  turned  again  to  Virginia. 

Under    the   difficulties   which   existed    during   the    former    reign,    the 


34 

task  of  colonization  had  proved  too  great  tor  even  the  heroic  enter- 
prise and  the  princely  foitune  of  Eir  Walter  Raleigh,  aided  by  his 
chivalrous  and  pious  brother.  Sir  Humphrey  Gilbert,  and  by  that  ter- 
rific fighter,  Sir  Richard  Gi'enville.  It  was  now  to  be  attempted  by 
many  English  men  of  wealth  and  power  operating  in  two  stock  com- 
panies. The  plan  was  taken  in  hand  by  Sir  John  Popham,  the  Lord 
Chief  Justice  of  England.  The  chatter  granted  for  the  settlement 
of  Virginia  was  granted  by  James  I.  on  April  10,  1G06;  and  as  was 
natural,  those  patriots  and  Churchmen  who  were  sustaining  the  move- 
ment looked  for  their  leaders  among  those  who  had  distinguished 
themselves  in  the  English  struggle  in  the  days  of  Elizabeth,  or  who 
had  been  or  were  still  assisting  the  Dntcli  in  their  long  battle  for 
libeity  and  the  Protestant  faith. 

The  first  name  on  the  list  of  those  to  whom  the  Letters  Patent  were 
granted  is  that  of  Sir  Thomas  Gates,  who  had  fought  with  Drake 
against  Spain  on  the  sea,  and  was  still  later  keeping  the  fight  up  in 
the  Netherlands.  When  he  himself  sailed  for  Virginia  in  lt;09  he 
took  with  him  his  old  company  of  veterans  in  the  Spanish  wars,  with 
Captain  George  Yeardly,  afterwards  Governor  of  Virginia,  in  com- 
mand. These  were  they  of  whom  Hakluyt  wrote,  "If  gentle  polish- 
ishing  will  not  serve"  to  bring  the  Indians  in  Virginia  into  civil 
courses,  "our  old  soldiers,  trained  up  in  the  Netherlands,  will  be 
hammers  and  rough  masons  enough  to  square  and  prepare  them  to 
our  preachers'  hands."  Next  to  Gates  on  the  Letters  Patent  stands 
Sir  George  Somers,  a  most  devout  and  knightly  Christian,  who  had 
distinguished  himself  as  a  commander  in  victorious  voyages  in  the 
"West  Indies  in  Elizabeth's  days,  and  who,  later,  left  his  seat  in  the 
House  of  Parliament  to  go  to  Virginia.  The  Reverend  Richard  Hak- 
luyt stands  next.  He  was  Prebendary  of  Westminster,  and  more  learn- 
ed in  the  history  of  English  voyages  than  any  man  of  his  times.  His 
great  book  on  the  subject  is  still  an  inspiration.  And  having  recorded 
the  heroic  exploits  of  the  English  nation  on  the  seas,  he  now  sustain- 
ed with  all  his  influence  this,  their  latest  effort  to  gain  a  foothold 
in  America,  and  lived  to  see  it  succeed.  Edw'ard  Maria  Wingfield, 
another  veteran  of  the  Spanish  wars,  is  named  next,  and  went  to 
Virginia  himself  in  the  first  ships. 

Such  were  the  men  to  whom  the  Letters  Patent  were  committed. 
Captain  Newport,  the  comiuander  of  the  first  fleet,  and  Lord 
De   la   Warr,    the   first    Captain-General    of   Virginia,   and    Sir   Thomas 


35 

Dale,  who  succeeded  him,  were  all  veterans  in  Spanish  wars;  and  so 
were  many  more  who  took  prominent  part  in  the  colonization  of  Vir- 
ginia. And  now  in  the  establishment  of  this  Protestant  colony  they 
saw  their  opportunity  not  only  to  enlarge  the  realm  of  their  king,  and 
the  bounds  of  the  Kingdom  of  God,  but  also,  as  Sir  Thomas  Dale  ex- 
pressed it,  "to  put  a  bit  in  the  mouth  of  their  ancient  enemy,"  the 
King  of  Spain,  and  to  check  the  power  of  Rome;  and  with  all  their 
heart  and  might  they  set  themselves  to  do  it. 

The  Colony  of  Virginia  is  sometimes  conceived  of  as  a  mere  com- 
mercial and  mercenary  venture,  in  which  "to  get  the  peai'l  and  gold" 
was  the  chief  idea;  and  those  who  founded  the  colony  are  represented, 
as  for  the  most  part,  mere  adventurers,  without  principles  either  po- 
litical or  religious.  Doubtless  "th.e  pearl  and  gold"  was  the  only  idea 
with  many  '!adve»tnrers"  who  stayed  at  home,  and  adventured  a  sub- 
scription to  the  Company's  stock,  and  also  of  many  "planters"  who 
adventured  themselves  into  the  wilds  of  the  New  World.  But  the 
conception  and  purpose  of  those  who  planted  and  maintained  the  Col- 
ony was  of  the  broadest  and  most  far-reaching  character.  There  were 
already  buccaneers,  English,  French  and  Dutch  in  plenty  in  the  West 
Indies;  and  the  fear  that  Virginia  would  be  just  one  more  nest  of  pirates 
haunted  the  Spanish  mind.  But  the  mature  determination  and  pur- 
pose of  those  who  received  the  King's  Letters  Patent  for  this  Colony 
•was  the  spread  of  the  English  dominion,  carrying  with  it  English 
liberty,  and  the  English  Church  into  the  New  World,  and  there  to 
contest  with  Spain  her  claim  of  the  Western  Hemisphere.  Their  Let- 
ters Patent  guaranteed  to  the  colonists  and  to  their  heirs  forever  all 
the  liberties,  franchises  and  immunities  of  Englishmen,  born  and  abid- 
ing in  England.  The  third  article  of  their  Letters  Patent  reads: 
"We,  greatly  commending  and  graciously  accepting  of  their  desires 
for  the  furtherance  of  so  noble  a  work,  which  may,  by  the  Providence 
of  Almighty  God,  hereafter  tend  to  the  glory  of  His  Divine  Majesty, 
in  propagating  of  Christian  religion  to  such  people  as  yet  live  In  dark- 
ness and  miserable  ignorance  of  the  true  knowledge  and  worship  of 
God,  and  may  in  time  bring  the  infidels  and  savages  living  in  those 
parts  to  human  civility  and  a  settled  and  quiet  government;    do,"  etc. 

In  the  Instructions  given  to  the  colonists,  it  is  provided  that  the 
President,  Council  and  Ministers  shall  "with  all  diligence,  care  and 
respect  provide  that  the  true  Word  and  Service  of  God  and  Christian 
Faith  be  preached,  planted  and  used,  not  only  within  every  of  the  said 


36 

several  colonies  and  plantations,  but  also  as  much  as  they  may  amongst 
the  savage  people  who  doe  or  shall  adjoin  unto  them,  or  border  upon 
them,  according  to  the  doctrine,  rights  and  religion  now  professed 
and  established  within  our  realm  of  England." 

The  establishment  of  such  an  English  Colony  of  Protestants  in 
America  under  the  authority  of  the  King,  and  with  the  support  which 
they  saw  it  have  was  what  Spain  regarded  with  far  more  concern  than 
she  did  the  huoeaneers  in  the  West  Indies. 

The  preparations  for  planting  the  Colony  were  jealously  watched 
by  the  Spanish  Ambassador  in  London,  and  promptly  reported  to  King 
Philip;  and  the  Spanish  Board  of  War  declared,  in  protest,  that  "This 
country  which  they  call  Virginia  is  contained  within  the  limits  of 
the  Crown  of  Castille,"  and  that  "according  to  this  and  other  cf  isid- 
erations  which  were  of  special  importance,  it  was  thought  proper  that 
with  all  necessary  forces,  this  plan  of  the  English  should  be  prevented, 
and  that  it  should  not  be  permitted  in  any  way  that  foreign  nations 
should  occupy  this  country,  because  it  is,  as  has  been  said,  a  discovery 
and  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  Crown  of  Castille,  and  because  its 
contiguity  increases  the  vigilance  which  it  is  necessary  to  bestow 
upon  all  the  Indies  and  their  commerce — and  this  all  the  more  so  if 
they  should  establish  there  the  religion  and  the  liberty  of  conscience 
which  they  profess,  which  of  itself  already  is  what  most  obliges  us  to 
defend  it  even  beyond  the  reputation  which  is  so  grievously  jeopardiz- 
ed, and  that  His  Majesty  (of  Spain)  should  command  a  letter  to  be 
written  to  Don  Pedro  de  Zuniga  (the  Spanish  Ambassador  in  Lon- 
don), ordering  him  to  ascertain  with  great  dexterity  and  skill  how  far 
these  plans  of  which  he  writes,  may  be  founded  in  fact,  and  whether 
they  make  any  progress,  and  who  assists  them,  and  by  what  means; 
and  that  when  he  is  quite  certain  he  should  try  to  give  the  King  of 
England  to  understand  that  we  complain  of  his  permitting  subjects 
of  his  to  disturb  the  seas,  coasts  and  lands  of  his  Majesty  (of  Spain), 
and  of  the  rebels  being  favored  by  his  agency,  in  their  plans,  the  rebels 
of  the  Islands  and  of  other  nations  (the  Netherlands)  ;  and  that  he 
should  continue  to  report  always  whatever  he  may  hear,  charging  him 
to  be  very  careful  in  this  matter,  because  of  the  importance  of  pro- 
viding the  necessary  remedies,  in  case  he  should  not  have  any  by 
those  means." 

This  was  the  attitude  of  Spain  towards  Virginia  in  the  outset,  and 
as  the  work  progressed   the  opposition   increased.     Never  was   there  a 


37 

more  observant  diplomat  than  Don  Pedro  de  Zuniga,  and  in  liis  obser- 
vations we  have  the  very  best  reflection  of  the  spirit  of  the  times,  and 
especially  of  the  deeply  religious  feeling  and  purpose  which  he  recog- 
nized in  the  movement. 

In  March,  1609,  he  writes  to  the  King  of  Spain:  "There  has  been 
gotten  together  in  twenty  days  a  sum  of  money  for  this  voyage  which 
amazes  one.  Among  fourteen  Counts  and  Barons  they  have  given 
40,000  ducats;  the  merchants  give  much  more,  and  there  is  no  poor 
little  man  nor  woman  who  is  not  willing  to  subscribe  something  to 
this  enterprise."  "They  have  printed  a  book,  which  I  also  send  your 
Majesty,  *  *  *  in  which  they  publish  that  for  the  increase  of  their 
religion,  and  that  it  should  extend  over  the  whole  world,  it  is  right 
that  all  should  support  this  Colony  with  their  person  and  their  proper- 
ty. It  would  be  a  Service  rendered  to  God  that  Your  Majesty  should 
cut  short  a  swindle  and  a  robbery  like  this,  and  one  that  is  so  very 
important  to  Your  Majesty's  'royal  service." 

And  the  next  month,  April,  1609,  he  writes  again:  "Much  as  I  have 
written  to  Your  Majesty  of  the  determination  they  have  formed  here 
to  go  to  Virginia,  it  seems  to  me  that  I  still  fall  short  of  the  reality, 
since  the  preparations  that  are  made  here  are  the  most  energetic  that 
can  be  made  here,  for  they  have  actually  made  the  ministers  in  their 
sermons  dwell  upon  the  importance  of  filling  the  world  with  their  re- 
ligion, and  demand  that  all  make  an  effort  to  give  what  they  have  to 
such  a  grand  enterprise.  Thus  they  get  together  a  good  sum  of  money, 
and  make  a  great  effort  to  carry  masters  and  workmen  there  to  build 
ships.  Your  Majesty  will  see  the  great  importance  of  this  matter  for 
your  Royal  service  and  thus,  will  give  order,  I  hope,  to  have  these 
insolent  people  quickly  annihilated." 

Such  was  the  testimony  of  their  enemies  as  to  the  spiritual  enthu- 
siasm and  devotion  which  marked  the  leaders  of  the  movement;  and 
also  as  to  the  violence  and  intensity  of  the  opposition  which  their 
greatest  enemy  felt  towards  the  Colony.  Philip  would  have  acted  as 
he  was  warned  to  do;  but  mindful  of  the  losses  he  had  sustained  in 
the  past,  and  fearful  lest  the  sea-dogs  should  be  again  let  slip  upon 
his  treasure  ships,  he  restrained  his  actions,  and  confined  himself  to 
threats  and  protests.  These  were  little  regarded.  With  due  caution 
and  with  unfailing  determination  the  work  was  pressed  on,  and  the 
liberties  and  the  Protestant  Church  of  England  were  brought  to  Amer- 
ica, and  established  in  Virginia,  never  to  be  lost  to  this  land. 


38 

A  most  important  characteristic  of  the  Colony  of  Virginia. is  that  it 
was  founded  before  those  divisions,  political  and  religious,  arose  which 
brought  on  the  great  civil  war  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.  The  Colony 
was  shaped  and  directed  by  the  most  liberal  and  advanced  statesmen 
of  their  day;  and  as  it  developed  they  sought  and  gained  for  Virginia 
more  liberty  than  James  I.  finally  approved;  and  on  this  account  he 
revoked  the  liberal  charter  granted  in  1612.  But  the  character  of  the 
Colony  remained  that  of  a  representative  English  Colony,  and,  from 
the  first,  Englishmen  of  all  opinions  allowed  in  England  came  naturally 
to  Virginia,  and  they  continued  to  do  so.  It  represented  the  integrity 
of  Old  England  and  «ot  a  sect,  or  faetkm  of  any  sort,  civil  or  ecclesi- 
astical. They  brought  no  grievance,  they  nursed  no  bitter  memories, 
they  were  infected  with  no  morbid  tendencies,  but  only  such  as  are 
common  to  men.  It  was  a  genuinely  representative  piece  of  Old  Eng- 
land set  down  in  the  New  World — ranging  in  rank  in  th.e=  first  conv 
pany  of  colonists  from  "Gentlemen,"  like  "Master  Edward  Maria 
Wingfield"  and  the  "Honorable  George  Percy,"  a  'brother  of  the  then 
Earl  of  Northumberland,  down  to  "Nat  Peacock"  and  "Dick  Mutton," 
"boyes,"  as  we  still  call  our  nondescript  young  servants.  And  among 
them  all  moved  that  man  of  God,  their  minister,  the  Rev.  Robert 
Hunt,  whose  unselfish  fortitude  and  endurance,  as  well  as  his  "good 
doctrine  and  exhortation,"  more  than  once  reconciled  them  in  their 
difficulties  among  themselves;  "chiefiy  by  his  own  devoted  example, 
quenching  those  fiames  of  envy  and  dissension." 

It  is  true,  a  great  proportion  of  the  first  planters  and  the  early  sup- 
plies of  men  were  of  poor  material;  and  they  and  the  colonists  suffered 
according;  but  the  lines  on  which  the  Colony  was  laid  down  were  as 
broad,  at  least,  as  those  of  the  English  nation;  and  so,  as  experience 
taught  and  opportunity  offered,  the  quality  of  the  colonists  improved. 
And  coming  as  they  did  in  fullest  sympathy  with  all  that  was  best 
behind  them,  to  an  environment  which  inspired  and  developed  all  that 
was  best  within  them,  they  built  on  through  the  years  their  new  build- 
ing on  the  old  foundation  principles. 

Certain  it  is,  that  of  all  the  colonists  from  the  Old  World,  Virginia 
has  had  least  occasion  to  depart  from  her  original  lines.  Puritan  New 
Eugliind,  Dutch  New  York,  the  Quaker  settlements  of  Pennsylvania, 
the  Swedish  settlements  of  the  Jerseys,  the  Romish  Colony  of  Mary- 
land and  the  French  elements  of  Carolina  and  Louisiana,  while  con- 
tributing,   no    doubt,    most    valuable    constituents    to    our    New    World, 


39 

have  all  needed  to  be  readjusted  and  altered,  not  alone  in  government, 
but  in  the  spirit  and  atmosphere  of  their  life  and  civilization,  until 
they  are  far  removed  from  what  they  began  to  be;  while  the  Old  Do- 
minion, beginning  with  no  special  eccentricity,  has  assimilated  what 
has  come  to  her  from  every  quarter,  herself  least  changed  of  all.  Her 
influence  in  this  particular  has  been  none  the  less  real  for  having  been 
wrought  with  the  unobtrusive  quietness  of  a  truly  natural  force.  She 
has  been  the  Mother  of  States  in  more  respects  than  one. 

In  the  celebration  of  the  three  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  begin- 
ning of  English  civil  and  religious  life  in  America,  it  should  be  borne 
distinctly  in  mind  that  this  work  from  which  our  national  life  began 
was  no  mere  private  or  commercial  venture.  For  years  life  and  treas- 
ure were  poured  out  in  Virginia  without  stint  and  without  reward.  To 
accuse  the  founders  of  Virginia  of  making  money  their  first  aim  is  to 
accuse  them  of  the  greatest  folly.  Such  a  man  as  Sir  Thomas  Smith, 
the  Treasurer,  and  the  most  influential  man  in  the  practical  manage- 
ment of  the  Colony,  who  was  also  Governor  of  the  Bast  India  Company, 
and  one  of  the  most  successful  merchant  princes  of  his  age,  would 
never  have  persevered  in  such  a  bootless  venture  as  was  the  Colony  in 
Virginia,   if  money  had   been  his  chief  aim. 

Not  money,  but  the  planting  of  the  English  race  in  the  New  World, 
and  with  it  the  seeds  of  civil  and  religious  truth  as  the  English  race 
held  the  same — this  they  aimed  at,  and  this  they  accomplished. 

Dei  gratia  Virginia  condita. 


THE  CHURCH  AT  JAMESTOWN. 

"When  it  shall  please  God  to  send  you  on  to  the  coast  of  Vir- 
ginia, you  shall  do  your  best  endeavors  to  find  out  a  safe  port  in 
the  entrance  of  some  navigable  river,  making  choice  of  such  an  one 
as  runneth  farthest  into  the  land,  and  if  you  happen  to  discover  divers 
portable  rivers,  and  among  them  any  one  that  hath  two  main  branches, 
if  the  difference  be  not  great,  make  a  choice  of  that  which  bendeth 
most  towards  thee  northwest,  for  that  way  you  shall  soonest  find  the 
other  sea." 

What  an  insight  into  the  situation  of  those  who  first  came  to  Vir- 
ginia we  have  in  this  first  item  of  the  "Instructions  by  Way  of  Advice," 
given  by   the  Virginia   Council,   in   London,   to   the  outgoing  colonists! 


40 

Virginia  was  little  more  than  a  name  for  a  vast  unknown  region,  ex- 
tending from  South  Carolina  to  Canada. 

Truly  these  voyagers  "Went  out,  not  knowing  whither  they  went." 
Where  they  will  land,  what  they  will  find,  what  coasts,  what  bays  and 
rivers;  how  broad  the  land  will  be,  how  far  away,  when  they  land,  it 
will  still  be  to  the  long-sought  "other  sea,"  all  is  unknown. 

This  was  in  December,  1606. 

The  two  companies  which  had  undertaken  to  colonize  Virginia  were 
enthusiastic  in  their  work.  Already  the  Northern  Company  had  sent 
out  one  ship  in  the  previous  August  (1606),  and  of  course  she  had  not 
been  heard  from.  In  fact,  she  never  reached  Virginia  at  all,  but  fell 
in  with  a  Spanish  fleet  in  the  West  Indies  and  was  taken,  and  most  of 
her  officers  and  men  were  even  then  in  Spanish  prisons.  Also,  in  the 
following  June  two  other  ships  were  sent  out  by  the  Northern  Com- 
pany. They  reached  "Virginia,"  away  up  on  the  Kennebec  river,  in 
Maine,  where,  after  much  suffering  and  many  deaths,  the  colony  was 
frozen  out,  those  who  survived  returning  to  England. 

The  three  ships  which  came  to  Jamestown  came  out  between  these 
two  disastrous  ventures,  being  sent  out  by  the  First,  or  London  Com- 
pany. On  December  19,  1606  (O.  S.),  they  set  sail  with  between  one 
hundred  and  forty  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  colonists;  and  with  the 
exception  of  short  stops  in  the  Canaries  and  in  the  West  Indies,  they 
were  in  the  ships  until  April  26,  1607  (O.  S.).  For  six  weeks  they 
were  held  by  unprosperous  winds  in  sight  of  England;  and  tnen  it 
was  that  we  first  hear  of  the  character  and  influence  of  their  pastor,  the 
Reverend  Robert  Hunt. 

As  we  have  seen  in  the  last  paper,  the  far-sighted  Christian  states- 
men and  patriots  who  planned  and  sustained  this  first  permanent  Eng- 
lish colony  in  America  were  most  careful  to  make  full  provision  for  the 
religious  status  and  spiritual  needs  of  the  colony.  There  could  be  no 
question  as  to  the  religion. 

The  recent  Romish  Gunpowder  Plot  to  blow  up  the  King  and  the 
Protestant  House  of  Parliament  was  yet  fresh  in  all  memories.  Eng- 
land was  enthusiastically  Protestant,  and  Protestantism  was  practically 
undivided,  and  united  in  the  Church  of  England. 

For  their  pastor  Smith  records  that  the  Archbishop  (Bancroft)  of 
Canterbury  appointed  the  Rev.  Richard  Hakluyt,  the  historian  of  Eng- 
lish voyages  of  discovery,  to  be  minister  to  the  Colony,  and  that  by  the 
authority  of  Hakluyt  the  Rev.  Robert  Hunt  was  sent  out. 

"Master  Edward    Maria  Wingfield"  speaks  as  if  the  choice  of  Hunt 


41 

to  be  their  minister  had  rested  with  him.  "For  my  first  worlv  (which 
was  to  make  a  right  choice  of  a  spiritual  pastor)  I  appeal  to  the  re- 
membrance of  my  Lord  of  Canterbury,  his  Grace,  who  gave  me  very 
gracious  audience  in  my  request.  And  the  world  knoweth  Whom  I 
took  with  me  [i.  e.,  Hunt] ;  truly,  in  my  opinion,  a  man  not  any  waie 
to  be  touched  with  the  rebellious  humors  of  a  Popish  spirit  nor  blem- 
ished with  the  least  suspicion  of  a  factious  scismatic,  whereof  I  had  a 
speciall  care." 

Whoever  chose  him,  all  agree  in  praising  him.  Smith  calls  him 
"an  honest,  religious,  courageous  divine;  during  whose  life  our  fac- 
tions were  oft  qualified,  and  our  wants  and  greatest  extremities  so 
comfoited  that  they  seemed  easie  in  comparrison  of  what  we  endured 
after  his  memorable  death." 

Again  it  is  recorded  of  him  that  during  the  six  weeks  the  ships  were 
kept  in  sight  of  England,  "All  which  time  Master  Hunt,  our  preacher, 
was  so  weake  and  sick,  that  few  expected  his  recovery.  Yet,  although 
he  were  but  twentie  myles  from  his  habitation  (the  time  we  were  in 
the  Downs),  [from  which  we  infer  that  his  home  must  have  been  in 
Kent],  and  notwithstanding  the  stormy  weather,  nor  the  scandalous 
imputations  (of  some  few,  little  better  than  Atheists,  of  the  greatest 
ranke  among  us)  suggested  against  him,  all  this  could  never  force  from 
him  so  much  as  a  seeming  desire  to  leave  the  business,  but  preferred 
the  service  of  God  in  so  good  a  voyage,  before  any  affection  to  contest 
with  his  godlesse  foes,  whose  disastrous  designes  (could  they  have  pre- 
vailed) had  even  then  overthrowne  the  business,  so  many  discontents 
did  then  arise,  had  he  not,  with  the  water  of  patience  and  his  godly 
exhortations  (but  chiefly  through  his  true  devoted  examples)  quenched 
those  flames  of  envie  and  dissention." 

We  cannot  follow  the  long  and  trying  voyage  (they  were  eighteen 
wooks  and  two  days  on  the  way).  But  after  they  had  left  the  West 
Indies  "in  search  of  Virginia,"  they  were  caught  in  a  "vehement 
tempest,"  and  driven  helplessly  on  beyond  their  reckoning,  so  that 
some  even  "desired  to  bear  up  the  helme  and  return  to  England  than 
make  further  search."  *  *  *  "But  God,  the  guide  of  all  good  actions, 
forcing  them  by  an  extreme  storme  to  Hull  [drive  helplessly]  all  night, 
did  drive  them  by  His  providence  to  their  desired  port  beyond  all  ex- 
pectation, for  never  any  of  them  had  seen  that  coast." 

On  Sunday  morning  early,  the  26th  of  April,  corresponding  to  the  6th 
of  May,  as  the  calendar  is  now  corrected,  they  entered  Chesapeake  Bay, 
and  landed  on  the  southern  shore. 


42 

Our  first  sight  of  Virginia,  through  the  eyes  of  these  storm-tossed 
and  cabin-bound  colonists,  is  like  a  dream  of  fairyland.  It  was  our 
mcFt  charming  season — the  early  days  of  May.  They  wandered  on  the 
short  of  what  is  now  Princess  Anne  county,  and  found,  as  young  Per- 
cy, of  Northumberland,  records,  "faire  meddowes  and  goodly  tall  trees, 
with  such  fresh  waters  running  through  the  woods  as  I  was  almost 
ravished  at  the  sight  thereof." 

It  was  the  Third  Sunday  after  Easter,  and  if  on  the  ships  or  on  the 
shore  that  day  the  service  was  read,  as  it  is  probable  that  it  was,  the 
appropriateness  of  the  Epistle  for  the  day,  beginning  with  1  Peter  2: 
11,  and  warning  them  "as  strangers  and  pilgrims,"  to  practice  self-dis- 
cipline, to  submit  to  authority,  and  live  In  love,  must  have  impressed 
those  who  heard   it. 

To  this  same  point  they  returned  three  days  later,  on  Wednesday, 
April  29th,  the  day  after  they  had  found  the  channel  at  Old  Point,  and 
knew  that  they  could  enter  the  river.  Then,  after  the  revered  fash- 
ion of  old  Christian  explorers  and  discoverers,  they  set  up  a  cross  at 
the  spot  of  their  first  landing,  and  called  that  place  Cape  Henry. 

After  two  weeks  of  exploration  and  examination,  of  which  an  inter- 
esting account  is  given  by  George  Percy,  they  finally  determined  upon 
an  island  adjacent  to  the  north  bank  of  the  river  and  forty  miles  from 
its  mouth.  This  was  selected  as  their  "seating  place,"  and  for  three 
very  good  reasons:  It  was  sufficiently  removed  from  the  sea,  and  so  less 
liable  to  attack  from  outside  enemies;  it  was  an  island,  (and  large 
enough  for  their  purposes,  being  two  and  three-quarter  miles  long), 
and  so  afforded  better  protection  from  the  natives;  and  there  was  a 
channel  of  six  fathoms  of  water  near  enough  to  the  shore  for  their 
ships  to  be  moored  to  the  trees,  thus  affording  additional  protection 
and  an  easy  landing. 

To  this  place  they  came  on  May  13th,  and  the  next  day,  Thursday. 
14th,  all  hands  were  brought  ashore  and  set  to  clearing  ground  for 
their  settlement  and  making  ready  timber  for  their  stoclcade  fort.  This 
stockade  was  triangular,  "having  bulwarks  at  each  corner  like  a  half- 
moon,  and  four  or  five  pieces  of  artillery  mounted  in  them."  The 
side  next  the  river  was  420  feet  long  and  the  two  other  sides  each  300 
feet  long.  A  road  ran  all  around  on  the  inside  next  the  stockade,  and 
next  to  the  road  and  facing  inwards  were  the  cabins  occupied  by  the 
colonists.  In  the  open  space  in  the  middle  of  the  triangle  stood  the 
guard-house,  the  store-house,  and  when  it   was  built,  which  was  within 


43 

a  few  weeks,  the  church.  The  settlement  was  at  the  upper  or  west- 
ern end  of  the  island. 

"Now,"  to  quote  Captain  Smith,  "because  I  have  spoke  so  much  of 
the  body,  give  me  leave  to  say  somewhat  of  the  soule;  and  the  rather 
because  I  have  been  demanded  by  so  many  how  we  began  to  preach 
the  Gospel  in  Virginia,  and  by  what  authority;  what  churches  we  had, 
our  order  of  service,  and  maintenance  of  our  ministers;  therefore,  I 
think  it  not  amisse  to  satisfie  their  demands,  it  being  the  mother  of  all 
our  Plantations,  intreating  pride  to  spare  laughter  to  understand  her 
simple  beginnings  and  proceedings. 

"When  we  first  went  to  Virginia  I  well  remember  we  did  hang  an 
awning  (which  is  an  old  saile)  to  three  or  four  trees,  to  shadow  us 
from  the  sunne;  our  walles  were  rales  of  wood;  our  seats  unhewed 
trees  till  we  cut  plankes;  our  Pulpit  a  bar  of  wood  nailed  to  two  neigh- 
bouring trees.  In  foule  weather  we  shifted  into  an  old  rotten  tent; 
for  we  had  few  better,  and  this  came  by  way  of  adventure  for  new. 

"This  was  our  church  till  we  built  a  homely  thing  like  a  barne,  set 
upon  cratchets,  covered  with  rafts,  sedge  and  earth;  so  was  the  walls. 
The  best  of  our  houses  [were]  of  like  curiosity;  but  the  most  part  far 
much  worse  workmanship,  that  neither  could  well  defend  [from]  wind 
nor  raine.  Yet  we  had  daily  Common  Prayer,  morning  and  evening; 
every  Sunday  two  sermons;  and  every  three  months  the  Holy  Com- 
munion, till  our  minister  died;  but  our  prayers  daily  with  an  Homily 
on  Sundaies  we  continued  two  or  three  years  after  till  our  preachers 
came," — that  is,  the  next  preacher  to  come  after  the  death  of  Mr. 
Hunt." 

Here  is  a  true  picture  of  the  beginning  of  Church  life  in  America. 
The  pioneers,  working  in  the  summer  heat,  building  a  fort,  clearing 
ground,  planting  corn,  getting  out  clapboard  and  specimens  of  timber 
to  send  back  to  England,  with  sassafras  roots  and  other  crude  pro- 
ducts of  the  land. 

Sunday  comes,  and  they  leave  their  tools,  but  still  taking  their  arms, 
they  gather  under  the  "old  saile"  to  shadow  them  from  the  sun  while 
they  hear  the  familiar  words  of  Common  Prayer,  and  the  cheering 
exhortations  of  their  man  of  God. 

There,  doubtless,  the  first  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  was 
held  on  Sunday,  the  21st  of  June,  1607,  corresponding  to  July  1st  in 
our  calendar.  It  was  the  Third  Sunday  after  Trinity;  and  the  next 
day  the  ships  were  going  back  to  England.     Note  again  the  appropri- 


44 

ateness  of  the  Epistle — 1  Peter  5:  5,  etc.:  "All  of  you  be  subject  one  to 
another,  and  be  clothed  with  humility,  for  God  resisteth  the  proud  and 
giveth  grace  unto  the  humble.  Humble  yourselves,  therefore,  under 
the  Almighty  hand  of  God  that  He  may  exalt  you  in  due  time.  Cast- 
ing all  your  care  upon  him,  for  he  careth  for  you." 

This  probably  continued  for  some  weeks,  and  then  was  built  the  first 
church  huiUling  of  the  Church  of  England  in  America — the  "homely 
thing  like  a  barne,  set  upon  cratchets,  covered  with  rafts,  sedge  and 
earth." 

Soon  the  sickly  season  of  August  and  September  was  upon  these 
unacclimated  men,  and  they  died  like  sheep.  Twenty-one  deaths  are 
recorded  between  August  5th  and  September  6th  alone.  Provisions 
were  also  already  running  short.  There  were  but  two  gallons  of  wine 
left,  and  this  the  President  reserved  for  the  Communion  Table.  Mr. 
George  Percy  describes  this  wretchedness:  "There  were  never  English- 
men left  in  a  foreigne  countrey  in  such  miseries  as  we  were  in  this 
new  discovered  Virginia.  Wee  watched  every  three  nights,  lying  on 
the  bare  cold  ground,  what  weather  so  ever  came,  and  warded  all  the 
next  day;  which  brought  our  men  to  be  most  feeble  wretches.  Our 
food  was  but  a  small  can  of  barlie  sod  in  water  to  five  men  a  day. 
Our  drink  cold  water  taken  out  of  the  river;  which  was  at  a  flood 
verie  salt,  and  at  a  low  tide,  full  of  slime  and  filth;  which  was  the 
destruction  of  many  of  our  men.  Thus  we  lived  for  the  space  of  five 
months  in  this  miserable  distress,  not  having  five  able  men  to  man  our 
bulwarkes  upon  any  occasion.  If  it  had  not  pleased  God  to  put  a  terrour 
in  the  Savages'  hearts  we  had  all  perished  by  those  wild  and  cruell 
Pagans."     Such  was  the  first  church  and  congregation  at  Jamestown. 

This  poor  little  building  of  logs,  covered  with  turf  and  sedges,  lasted 
only  about  six  months.  Early  in  January,  1608,  just  after  Newport's 
return  fnom  England,  bringing  supplies  of  men  and  provisions,  the 
town  caught  fire  and  the  reed  thatching  of  the  huts  and  church  made 
a  fire  "so  fierce  as  it  burned  their  pallizadoes  (although  10  or  12  yardes 
distant)  with  their  amies,  bedding,  apparel  and  much  private  provi- 
sion. Good  Master  Hunt,  our  preacher,  lost  all  his  library,  and  all 
that  he  had  but  the  clothes  on  his  backe,  yet  [did]  none  ever  see  him 
repine  at  his  losse."  Newport  came  to  their  help,  and  while  the  men 
were  repairing  the  storehouse  and  other  buildings,  Newport's  mariners 
rebuilt  the  church,  probably  on  the  site  of  the  old  one;  and  this  is 
the  second  church  built,  and  like  the  first,  it  was  a  hurriedly-construct- 
ed and  poor  affair. 


45 

Just  about  a  year  from  the  time  it  was  built  tiiis  church  witnessed 
the  first  marriage  in  Virginia,  which  took  place  about  Christmas,  1608, 
or  January,  1609,  when  John  Laydon,  a  laborer,  who  had  come  over  in 
1607.  married  Anne  Burras,  the  maidservant  of  Mistress  Forrest.  They 
had  arrived  about  October,  1608.  This  lady  and  her  maid  are  the  first 
women  whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the  lists  of  emigrants.  This 
little  church  must  also  have  seen  the  last  offices  performed  for  that 
faithful  man  of  God,  "Good  Maister  Hunt."  The  time  of  his  death  is 
not  recorded,  but  it  can  hardly  have  been  later  than  the  winter  of 
1608-9.  Doubtless  his  remains  rest  in  the  bosom  of  Old  "Virginia  at 
Jamestown,  among  the  hundreds  and  hundreds  whose  lives  were  laid 
down  in  her  foundation. 

These  two  churches  are  the  only  ones  which  Captain  John  Smith 
knew  in  Virginia,  for  he  returned  to  England  in  October,  1609.  Hunt 
had  then  been  already  some  months  dead. 

It  witnessed  the  horrible  "starving  time"  of  the  winter  and  spring 
of  1609-10,  and  saw  the  abandonment  of  Jamestown  in  June,  1610,  when 
Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  Sir  George  Somers  found  the  Colony  at  the  last 
gasp,  and  took  them  aboard  their  ships  to  carry  them  back  to  Eng- 
land— a  bitter  trial  after  all  that  had  been  endured.  And  evidently 
it  was  God's  will  that  Virginia  should  be  tried,  but  it  was  not  His  will 
that  she  should  be  abandoned.  When  the  ships  were  actually  going 
down  the  river,  word  came  to  them  that  Lord  De  la  Warr  was  lying 
at  Old  Point  Comfort  with  abundant  reinforcements  and  supplies.  Vir- 
ginia was  not  abandoned,  but  rescued  in  the  nick  of  time.  With  the 
coming  of  Lord  De  la  Warr  and  a  well-selected  company  of  emfgrants, 
a  new  and  more  hopeful  era  opened  for  the  Colony.  As  for  the  church, 
although  only  two  and  a  half  years  old,  it  was  already  in  very  bad 
condition.  But  De  la  Warr,  a  deeply  pious  man,  took  much  pains  In 
repairing  it.  Strachey  gives  a  bright  picture  of  the  church  and  its 
worshippers:  "The  Captaine  General  hath  given  order  for  the  repair- 
ing of  [the  church]  and  at  this  instant  many  hands  are  about  it.  It 
is  in  length  three  score  foote,  in  breadth  twenty-foure,  and  shall  have 
a  chancell  in  it  of  cedar,  with  faire  broad  windowes,  to  shut  and  open 
as  the  weather  shall  occasion,  of  the  same  wood,  a  pulpit  of  the  same, 
with  a  font  hewen  hollow  like  a  canoa,  with  two  bels  at  the  West  end. 
It  is  so  cast  as  to  be  very  light  within,  and  the  Lord  Governour  and 
Captaine  General  doth  cause  it  to  be  kept  passing  sweete,  and  trimmed 
up  with  divers  flowers,  with  a  sexton  belonging  to  it;  and  in  it  every 


46 

Sunday  we  have  Sermons  twice  a  day,  and  ThiUHday  a  sermon,  having 
true  (two?)  preachers  which  take  their  weekly  turns;  and  every  morn- 
ing at  the  ringing  of  a  bell  about  ten  of  the  clocke  each  man  address- 
eth  himself  to  prayers,  and  so  at  foure  of  the  clocke  before  supper. 
Every  Sunday  when  the  Lord  Governour  and  Captaine  General  goeth 
to  church  he  is  accompanied  with  all  the  Counsailers,  Captaines  and 
other  Officers,  and  all  the  Gentlemen,  with  a  guard  of  Halberdiers,  in 
his  Lordship's  Livery,  faire  red  cloakes,  to  the  number  of  fifty,  both 
on  each  side,  and  behind  him:  and  being  in  the  church  his  Lordship 
hath  his  seat  in  the  Quier,  in  a  green  velvet  chair,  with  a  cloath,  with 
a  velvet  cushion  spread  on  a  table  before  him  on  which  he  kneeleth, 
and  on  each  side  sit  the  Counsel,  Captaines  and  officers,  each  in  their 
place,  and  when  he  returneth  home  again  he  is  waited  on  to  his  house 
in  the  same  manner." 

Here  is  great  punctilio  and  formality;  but  withal  De  la  Warr,  Somers 
and  Gates  were  men  of  profound  piety.  Religion  was  not  a  matter  of 
fieremonies  and  services  with  them,  but  was  the-  foundation  of  their 
lives.  They  were  of  the  sort  that  "next  to  God  loved  a  good  fight," 
but  they  loved  both  truly,  and  God  was  ever  first. 

As  for  the  two  ministers  who  took  their  turns  at  Jamestown  in  those 
days,  one  was  the  Reverend  Richard  Buck,  who  had  come  with  Sir 
Thomas  Gates.  He  was  an  Oxford  man  and  "an  able  and  painful 
preacher."  He  served  the  church  at  Jamestown  at  least  eleven  years, 
and  maybe  longer,  and  died  in  Virginia.  He  seems  to  have  been  of  a 
Puritanical  turn  of  mind,  for  he  called  his  children,  successively, 
Mara,  Gershom,  Benoni,  and  Peleg.  The  other  minister  must  have 
come  with  Lord  De  la  Warr,  and  his  name  is  not  given,  but  he  is 
thought  to  have  been  the  Rev.  William  Mease,  who  came  at  this  time, 
and  was  in  Virginia  a  number  of  years,  being  in  Elizabeth  City  par- 
ish in  1615.  This  church,  which  Newport  built  and  Lord  De  la  Warr 
renovated,  was  of  course  built  of  wood;  and  in  it,  in  April,  1(514, 
Pocahontas  was  married  to  John  Rolfe,  probably  by  Mr.  Buck.  It  is 
more  probable  that  Pocahontas  was  baptized  at  Henrico  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Whitaker,  as  she  seems  to  have  lived  there  with  Sir  Tliomas  Dale 
at  the  time  of  her  conversion. 

In  1617  Captain  Argall  arrived  in  Jamestown,  and  served  as  deputy 
governor.  He  found  the  church  which  De  la  Warr  had  renovated 
again  in  ruins,  and  services  being  conducted  in  a  storehouse.  Some 
time  during  his  tenure  of  office — i.  e..  between   IfilT  and  1619.  a  new 


47 

church  was  built  at  Jamestown,  "wholly  at  the  charge  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  that  cittie,  of  timber,  being  fifty  foot  in  length  and  twenty 
foot  in  breadth";  and  this  time  the  site  was  removed,  and  the  new 
church  was  placed  to  the  eastward  of  the  old  stockade  (outside  of 
it)  and  in  the  midst  of  or  adjacent  to  the  rueful  graveyard,  where  so 
many  victims  of  hunger,  heat,  cold,  fever,  and  massacre  lay  buried. 
It  was  erected  upon  a  slender  cobblestone  and  brick  foundation,  only 
the  length  of  one  brick  in  thickness.  This  foundation  was  discovered 
by  the  careful  explorations  of  the  Association  for  the  Preser- 
vation of  Virginia  Antiquities  in  1891,  and  lies  within  the  foun- 
dations of  the  next  building,  that  is,  of  the  one  the  tower  of  which 
is  now  standing.  This  slender  foundation  of  the  church,  built  between 
1617  and  1619,  is  the  oldest  structure  which  has  been  discovered  at 
Jamestown.  It  was  within  this  little  building  that  the  first  House 
of  Burgesses  met  in  July,  1619 — the  first  representative  body  of  English 
lawmakers  to  assemble  in  America.  And  "forasmuche  as  men's  af- 
faires doe  little  prosper  where  God's  service  is  neglected,  all  the  bur- 
gesses stood  in  their  places,  until  a  prayer  was  said  by  Mr.  Bucke, 
that  it  would  please  God  to  guide  and  santifie  all  our  proceedings  to 
His  own  glory  and  the  good  of  the  Plantation."  Then  the  small,  but 
august  body  of  Burgesses  was  organized,  and  the  first  laws  passed 
in  America  by  a  representative  body  were  then  enacted  for  the  regula- 
tion both  of  the  Church  and  of  the  State. 

How  long  this  little  building,  the  third  church,  lasted  and  was  used, 
we  do  not  know,  but  in  1639,  January  18th,  the  statement  is  made  in 
a  letter  from  the  Governor,  Sir  John  Harvey,  and  the  Council  in  Vir- 
ginia, to  the  Privy  Council  in  London,  that  "Such  hath  bene  our  In- 
devour  herein,  that  out  of  our  owne  purses  we  have  largely  contribut- 
ed to  the  building  of  a  brick  church,  and  both  masters  of  ships,  and 
others  of  the  ablest  Planters  have  liberally  by  our  persuasion  under- 
writt  to  this  worke."  As  this  letter  was  dated  January  18th,  it  may 
be  that  the  church  was  finished  that  year,  but  there  is  no  definite 
statement  as  to  this. 

The  same  letter  makes  mention  of  the  first  brick  house  at  James- 
town, which  was  the  residence  of  Secretary  Richard  Kemp.  It  was 
but  sixteen  by  twenty-four  feet  in  dimensions,  but  Governor  Harvey 
speaks  of  it  as  "the  fairest  ever  known  in  this  country  for  substance 
and  uniformity."  This  fourth  church,  built  by  Governor  Harvey, 
stood  and  was  used  until  September,  1676,  when  it  was  burned  along 


48 

with  the  rest  of  Jamestown  by  Nathaniel  Bacon  and  his  men  But 
it  is  most  probable  that  the  tower  and  walls  stood,  and  that  when 
Jamestown  was  partially  rebuilt  between  1676  and  1686,  that  the  origi- 
nal tower  and  walls  built  by  Harvey  about  1639,  were  repaired  and 
used.  Thus  repaired,  the  church  continued  to  be  used  for  many  years. 
After  1699  the  meetings  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  were  no  longer  held 
in  Jamestown,  but  removed  to  Williamsburg,  and  the  residents  at 
Jamestown  became  very  few,  and  the  congregation  of  the  church  at 
Jamestown  was  correspondingly  diminished.  In  1724  the  Rev.  William 
Le  Neve  reported  to  the  Bishop  at  London  that  James  City  parish  was 
twenty  miles  long  and  twelve  broad,  and  that  there  were  seventy-eight 
families  in  the  parish.  He  held  services  at  Jamestown  two  Sundays 
in  three,  there  being  about  130  attendants,  and  his  salary  was  £60. 
One  Sunday  in  three  he  preached  at  Mulberry  Island,  where  there 
were  about  200  attendants,  and  his  salary  was  £30  per  annum.  Every 
Sunday  afternoon  he  lectured  at  Williamsburg  to  about  100  people, 
his  salary  being  £20.  Holy  Communion  was  celebrated  four  times 
a  year  to  twenty  or  thirty  communicants.  The  population  was  gradu- 
ally drifting  away  from  Jamestown,  and  the  minister  at  Jamestown 
would  serve  other  churches  also.  The  fire  of  1776  doubtless  destroyed 
priceless  church  records,  and  the  names  of  the  clergymen  who  served 
James  City  parish  can  only  be  gathered  here  and  there  from  other 
records.  I  have  gathered  twenty-seven  names,  but  the  evidence  of 
their  connection  with  the  parish  is  not  satisfactory  in  all  cases. 

The  last  minister  in  the  old  church  was  certainly  Bishop  James 
Madison,  w-ho  served  the  parish  from  1785  to  1812.  The  old  church 
was  in  ruins  before  1812,  and  the  last  services  in  the  parish  were  held 
in  a  brick  church  a  few  miles  off  on  the  road  to  Williamsburg,  called 
"The  Main"  Church —  that  is,  the  church  on  the  main  land  as  distin- 
guished  from  the  island.     This  church  has  now  disappeared. 

The  font  of  the  old  church  and  its  interesting  communion  vessels 
were  taken  to  Bruton  church,  in  the  new  Colonial  capital  at  Wil- 
liamsburg, where  they  are  still  carefully  preserved. 

The  old  tower  has  kept  its  lonely  watch  for  more  than  an  hundred 
years.  After  long  and  inexcusable  neglect  it  is  now  strengthened 
and  guarded.  Long  may  it  stand.  The  principles,  the  heroic  perse- 
verance, the  sufferings,  which  the  very  ground  of  Jamestown  brings 
to  mind,  together  with  the  imperishable  fruits  and  blessings  which 
went  out  to  the-  New  World   from   this  first  English   settlement,  have 


49 

their  fittest  monument  in  the  tower  of  the  church  which,  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God,  was  appointed  to  bring  the  everlasting  Gospel  to  these 
shores. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  ministers  who  are  recorded  by  several 
authorities — Bishop  Meade,  Dr.  Dashiell,  E.  D.  Niell  and  others — to 
have  served  in  James  City  Parish  between  1607  and  1800: 

MINISTERS    IN    JAMES    CITY    PARISH. 

1.  Robert   Hunt,  1607-08. 

2.  Richard  Bucke,  1610. 

[He  was  afterwards  minister  of  the  church  at  Kecoughtan  in  1615.] 

3.  Lord  De  la  Warr's  minister,   probably  William  Mease,   1610. 

4.  David  Sandys,  E.  D.  Neill,  Virginia  Colonial  Clergy,  page  7,  at 
Captain  Sam  Matthew's,  in  James  City,  1625. 

5.  Thomas    Harrison,    Chaplain    to    Governor    Berkeley,    Neill,    page 
14,  1644. 

6.  Thomas  Hampton,  Henning,  1644,  Neill,  p.  15;   Bishop  Meade  and 
Dashiell,  Digest  of  the  Councils  of  the  Diocese  of  Virginia,  1645. 

7.  Morgan  Godwin,  Neill,  pp.  18  and  20,  1665. 

8.  Rowland  Jones,  Neill,  p.  21;    Senate  Document,  p.  103,  1674-88. 

9.  John  Gouch,  buried  at  Jamestown,  1683. 

10.  John  Clayton,  in  letter  to  Dr.  Boyle,  signs  himself  parson  at 
James  City;  Neill,  p.  21,  1684. 

n.  James   Sclater;    Dashiell,   1688. 

12.  James  Blair,  Bishop  Meade,  Vol.  I.,  p.  94,  1694-1710. 

13.  Solomon  Whateley,  Dashiell,  1700. 

14.  Hugh  Jones,  Neill,  p.  27,  previous  to  1724. 

15.  Sharpe  Bromscale,  Dashiell,  1721. 

16.  William  Le  Neve,  sent  report  to  Bishop  of  London,  1724.  1722-1724. 

17.  Wm.    Dawson,    Commissary,    1734-1751. 

18.  Thomas  Dawson,  Commissary,  1752. 

19.  William  Robinson,  Dashiell,  1744. 

20.  William  Yates,  Dashiell,  1754. 

21.  William  Preston,  Perry's  Historical  Papers,  p.  429,  1755. 

22.  Rev.  Mr.  Berkeley,  Bishop  Meade,  Vol.  I.,  p.  95,  1758. 

23.  James  Horrochs,  Dashiell,  1762. 

24.  Mr.  Gwatkin,  Dashiell,  and  State  Papers,  1771-76. 

25.  J.  Hyde  Saunders,  ordained  for  James  City  1772.  Bishop  Meade, 
Vol.  L,  p.  95,  1773. 

26.  Mr.  Bland,  Bishop  Meade,  p.  113,  note  Main  Church. 

27.  James  Madison,  Bishop  Meade,  Vol.  L,  p.  95. 


THE  OLD   BRICK   CHURCH,   ISLE  OF  WIGHT 
COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

BY    R.    S.    THOMAS,    OF    SMITIIFIELD.    VA. 

A?j-^  HE    Old    Brick    Church,    five    miles    from    Smithfield,    Virginia, 
built   in   1632,   is   the  oldest   building  of   English   fonstruction 

2_i        in  America. 

The  ruined  and  vine-clad  towers  at  Jamestown  are  more 
pathetic;  but  they  are  not  as  venerable;  for  they  tell  only  of  that 
church  which  was  built  after  1676,  when  its  predecessor — the  third 
or  fourth  church — was  destroyed  in  the  general  conflagration  caused 
by  the  forces  under  Nathaniel  Bacon.  The  old  Bruton  church  was  not 
completed  until  after  1686,  when  its  "Steeple  and  Ring  of  Bells"  were 
ordered.  It  was  occupied  after  November,  1683,  but  it  lacked  the  grace 
and  finish  of  its  "Steeple  and  Ring  of  Bells." 

The  Old  Brick  Church  has  come  down  to  us  from  1632.  The  his- 
torical evidences  of  this  fact  were  given  in  full,  by  the  writer,  in  a 
paper  read  before  the  Virginia  Historical  Society  in  1891,  which  was 
published  in  Volume  XI  of  the  Virginia  Historical  Collections  of  that 
year. 

In  1884,  a  great  storm  caused  the  roof  of  the  old  church  to  fall, 
which  brought  down  with  it  a  portion  of  its  eastern  wall.  In  the 
debris  of  that  wall  two  bricks  were  found:  one  whole,  now  imbedded 
in  the  woodwork  of  the  chancel,  with  the  figures  1632  clean  and  clear 
cut  on  it;  the  other  broken  in  two,  but  with  the  figures  1 — 32  as  clean 
and  clear  and  distinct  as  the  first;  the  second  figure  6  having  been 
destroyed  by  the  breaking  of  the  brick.  These  bricks  were  imbedded 
in  that  Eastern  wall;  the  figures  1632  were  filled  with  mortar  and  con- 
cealed from  view  by  the  plastering  of  the  church.  There  was  neither 
knowledge  nor  tradition  of  them  prior  to  the  storm  that  disclosed 
their  existence;  but  they  came,  in  a  wonderful  manner,  to  substantiate 
the  history  and  tradition  of  a  fact,  which  was  just  as  fixed  and  cer- 
tain as  universal  history  and  tradition  could  make  it. 

In  1884  the  Rev.  David  Barr,  beholding  the  havoc  th«>  storm  had 
wrought    to   the  church,  conceived  the  idea  that   he  would   have  it    re- 


51 

stored  to  its  original  condition.  He  worked  for  years  with  splendid 
enthusiasm,  and  succeeded  in  raising  the  sum  of  $5,724.23. 

He  was  fortunate  enough  to  receive  the  gratuitous  services  of  the 
lamented  E.  J.  N.  Stent,  church  architect  and  decorator,  who  also 
raised  $500.00.  R.  S.  Thomas  and  F.  G.  Scott  succeeded  in  collecting 
$2,501.01;   making  a  total  of  $8,725.24. 

The  grand  old  church  was  rededicated  in  November,  1894,  the  ser- 
vices extending  through  the  13th  and  14th  of  that  month. 

The  dedicatory  sermon  was  (in  the  absence  of  Bishop  Randolph) 
preached  by  the  new  Bishop-Coadjutor  of  the  Diocese  of  Southern  Vir- 
ginia, the  Rev.  B.  D.  Tucker,  D.  D.;  and  those  who  were  fortunate 
enough  to  hear  it,  still  remember  it  as  the  supreme  effort  of  his  life. 
The  acoustic  properties  of  the  church  are  simply  magnificent,  and  the 
voice  of  Mr.  Tucker  from  that  tall  pulpit  and  beneath  that  high  sound- 
ing-board rang  out  with  a  fullness,  and  a  resonance  that  was  delight- 
ful to  hear. 

But  far  above  the  voice  of  the  preacher  were  his  eloquent  and  ap- 
propriate sentiments  depicting,  in  glowing  and  appreciatory  language, 
the  piety  and  missionary  spirit  of  our  ancestors,  which  led  them  to 
cross  the  seas,  to  build  churches  in  the  wilderness  of  Virginia,  and  to 
put  as  the  very  first  law  in  the  statute  books  of  the  Colony  "that  there 
shall  be  in  every  plantation,  where  the  people  use  to  meete  for  the 
worship  of  God,  a  house  or  roome  sequestered  for  that  purpose,  and 
not  to  be  for  any  temporal  use  whatever,  and  a  place  empaled  in,  se- 
questered only  to  the  burial  of  the  dead"  (1619). 

No  stronger  proof  can  be  given  of  the  vitality  and  power  of  this 
sentiment,  than  that  long  list  of  churches  that  stood  and  now  stand 
only  ten  miles  apart  from  Norfolk  to  Petersburg.  One  of  these  was 
the  Old  Brick  Church.  That  church  was  built  under  the  superinten- 
dence of  one  Joseph  Bridger,  whose  son.  General  Joseph  Bridger, 
Councillor  of  State  in  Virginia  to  King  Charles  II.,  died  on  the 
15th  of  April,  1686,  in  the  fifty-eighth  year  of  his  age  at  his  '"White 
Marsh  Farm,"  about  two  miles  distant  from  the  old  church. 

I  have  always  been  struck  with  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  old 
church.  I  wondered  where  the  architect  caught  the  inspiration  of  his 
work.  But  when  I  first  stood  in  Westminster  and  St.  Paul's,  London, 
and  saw  their  lines  of  beauty,  I  no  longer  wondered  at  the  source  of 
the  power  of  this  wilderness  architect.  Westminster,  St.  Paul's,  and 
such  cathedrals  as  Chester,  York,  Salisbury,  and  Canterbury,  had  set 


52 

the  .soul  of  the  missionary  on  fire,  and  he  gave  it  expression  in  the 
Ohl  Brick  Church,  which  has  no  superior  in  any  of  the  country  churches 
of  England. 

The  church  at  Stoke  Pogis  is  more  renowned,  because  there  is  the 
yew  tree,  beneath  which  Thomas  Gray  wrote  his  "Elegy  in  a  Country 
Church-yard";  and  where  Gray  lies  buried  in  the  same  tomb  with 
his  aunt  and  mother  whom  he  loved  so  well,  on  the  right-hand  side 
of  the  church,  just  as  you  enter.  There,  too,  are  the  seats  of  the  Penn 
family,  used  by  them  before  and  after  William  Penn  became  a  Quaker. 

It  is  not  so  poetical,  but  it  is  vastly  superior  to  the  church  at  Mount 
Rydal,  where  Wordsworth  worshipped  and  over  which  he  has  thrown 
the  witchery  and  song  of  the  Lake  country. 

It  is  not  quite  so  large  in  its  seating  capacity,  perhaps,  as  the 
Crosthwaite  church,  where  the  superb  recumbent  statue  of  Southey 
draws  your  attention  from  the  defects  of  the  architecture  to  the  beau- 
ty and  purity  of  the  marble  that  lies  before  you.  But,  in  impressive- 
ness,  in  devotional  feeling,  "in  the  dim  religious  light"  that  flickers 
through  primeval  foliage,  in  the  glory  of  its  setting,  the  Old  Brick 
Church  beats  them  all. 

I  have  seen  many  a  window  in  Trinity,  in  Grace,  in  St.  Thomas'. 
New  York;  in  the  churches  and  cathedrals  of  the  Old  World,  that  in 
mere  costliness  was  superior  to  the  east  window  in  the  old  church; 
but  in  effect,  in  suggestiveness,  in  grace,  in  power  and  in  historical 
associations  they  cannot  stand  by  the  side  of  the  window  of  this  glo- 
rious old  church.  Its  twelve  beautiful  sections,  with  windows  to  George 
Washington,  to  R.  E.  Lee,  to  Joseph  Bridger,  the  architect;  William 
Hubbard  (its  last  Colonial  rector),  James  Madison,  Channing  Moore. 
William  Meade,  John  Johns,  James  Blair,  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  John 
Smith  and  John  Rolfe,  tell  the  whole  story  of  the  conquest  of  the  seas, 
the  landing  at  .Jamestown,  the  planting  of  Religion  and  of  Law  in 
the  continent  of  America,  the  struggle  of  the  Colonial  Church,  the 
separation  of  the  Colony,  the  birth  and  life  of  the  hero  of  the  Western 
World,  the  secession  of  the  State,  and  the  career  of  him  who  was 
Washington's  equal,  if  not  his  superior,  in  moral  greatness,  whom  Hen- 
derson has  described  as  "one  of  the  greatest,  if  not  the  greatest,  sol- 
dier that  ever  spoke  the  English  tongue." 

The  side  windows  to  Pocahontas,  to  Robert  Hunt.  Alexander  Whita- 
ker,  the  Woodleys.  the  Jordons.  the  Norsworthys,  the  Parkers,  the 
Cowpers,  the  Youngs,   the  Wrenns,   the  Thomases,  etc.,   are  all   appro- 


53 

priate  and  beautiful;  but  the  window  in  memory  of  Daniel  Coxe,  given 
by  Brixton  Coxe,  and  Mrs.  Sophie  Bledsoe  Herrick,  costing  five  hundred 
dollars  in  London,  of  equal  size  and  dimensions  with  the  other  side 
windows,  is  a  wonder  of  exquisite  beauty,  coloring  and  finish. 

The  windows  to  Washington,  Lee,  Bridger,  Hubbard,  Madison,  Moore, 
Meade  and  Johns,  cost  in  London  seventy-five  dollars  apiece. 

The  windows  to  Blair,  Raleigh,  Smith  and  Rolfe,  cost  in  London 
forty  dollars  each. 

The  windows  to  Smith  and  Rolfe  and  the  two  windows  in  the  tower 
were  given  by  the  Association  for  the  Preservaion  of  Virginia  Antiqui- 
ties. 

The  pulpit  and  sounding-board,  costing  $500,  were  given  by  Rear- 
Admiral  Glisson. 

The  communion  table,  costing  $250,  was  given  by  Mrs.  Elvia  Sin- 
clair Jones. 

The  font,  costing  $110.00,  was  given  by  Brixton  Coxe.  The  reading 
desk  was  bought,  I  believe,  of  Lamb,  in  New  York. 

The  remains  of  General  Joseph  Bridger  and  of  Ann  Randall,  who 
was  buried  by  his  side  on  the  White  Marsh  Farm,  were  removed  in 
1894  to  the  Old  Brick  Church,  and  placed  in  the  aisle  of  the  church. 

When  preparations  were  being  made  for  this  interment  the  feet  and 
legs  of  a  lady  were  found  right  in  front  of  the  pulpit  as  it  now  stands, 
just  as  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Norsworthy  described  in  1S91 ;  and  they  are  be- 
lieved to  be  those  of  "the  Miss  Norsworthy,  who  was  buried  in  the 
aisle  of  the  church,  close  to  the  chancel  in  1666,"  as  is  related  in  the 
paper  read  in  1S91. 

Ann  Randall  was  connected  by  marriage  with  General  Joseph  Brid- 
ger.    She  married  the  uncle  of  his  wife. 

Thus  Joseph  Bridger's  father  and  son  are  forever  associated  with 
the  Old  Brick  Church,  as  John  Smith  is  with  the  Church  of  the  Sepul 
Cher,  in  London,  and  Pocahontas  is  with  St.  George's  church,  at  Graves- 
end.  In  that  church  and  within  the  chancel  on  the  right-hand  side 
of  it,  is  a  tablet  in  white  marble,  saying  she  "was  buried  near  this 
spot  on  March  21st,  1617."  On  the  left-hand  side  of  the  chancel  oppo- 
site is  a  tablet  to  Chinese  Gordon,  saying  he  was  vestryman  of  the 
church  whilst  he  commanded  at  the  post. 

No  one  can  behold  these  tablets  without  feeling  and  knowing  that 
Pocahontas  is  as  much  of  a  living  reality  as  Chinese  Gordon,  and  no 
one  can  think  of  either  without  regretting  that  Chinese  Gordon  lies 
buried   in    Khartoum,   and    that    Pocahontas   lies   buried   at  Gravesend. 


54 

strangers  in  a  strange  land.  More  pathetic  still,  whilst  Gordon  has 
received  the  plaudits  ol'  the  world,  and  the  fullest  recognition  by  his 
native  State,  the  Princess  Pocahontas  has  been  brutally  assailed  by 
Cliarles  Dean,  Henry  Adams,  E.  D.  Neil,  and  lesser  lights,  and  her 
native  land  knows  little  and  rarely  ever  refers  to  her  splendid  de- 
fense made  by  William  Wirt  Henry,  in  his  address  before  the  Virginia 
Histciical  Society,  on  the  24th  of  February,  1882.  Equally  unknown 
and  equally  ignored  is  that  masterly  defense  of  John  Smith,  by  Ed- 
ward Arber,  Fellow  of  King's  College,  London;  F.  S.  A.,  Professor  of 
English  Language  and  Literature  Sir  Josiah  Mason's  College.  Bir- 
mingham, England,  in  his  book,  entitled,  "The  Complete  Works  of 
John  Smith,"  published  in  1884 — a  book  of  more  than  a  thousand  pages, 
wiitten  with  extremest  care,  and  with  the  most  painstaking  discrimi- 
nation. 

Fortunate  will  it  be  if  these  centennial  celebrations  and  this  James- 
town Exposition  shall  induce  the  people  of  the  State  to  study,  atten- 
tively, its  Colonial  history,  and  shall  persuade  the  Episcopal  Church 
to  honor  its  neglected  churches,  and  those  forgotten  ministers  who,  like 
Falkner,  Dunster,  Otis,  Hodgden,  Forbes  and  others  of  the  Old  Brick 
Church,  who  did  their  duty  nobly  as  God  gave  them  the  power  to  doit, 
and  were  content  at  last  to  lie  down  and  die.  unhonored  and  unsung, 
and  even  unknown  by  the  Church  that  they  loved  and  served  so  well. 


BRUTON  PARISH  CHURCH,   WILLIAMSBURG, 

VIRGINIA. 


0. 


BY    REV.    W.    A.    R.    (iOODWIN,    U.    D.,    RECTOR   OF    BRUTON    PARISH. 

RUTON  Parish  Church  bears  witness  to  the  continuity  of  the 
life  of  the  Church  established  at  Jamestown  in  1607.  The 
history  of  its  beginning  and  early  life  lies  in  that  period  of 
obscurity  occasioned  by  the  destruction  and  loss  of  the  wiit- 
ten  records  of  the  Church  and  the  county  courts  of  Virginia.  From 
what  remains  we  learn  that  in  1632  Middle  Plantation  (subsequently 
Williamsburg)  was  "laid  out  and  paled  in"  seven  miles  inland  from 
Jamestown  in  the  original  county  of  James  City,  and  shortly  there- 
after a  parish  bearing  the  plantation  name  was  created.  In  1644  a 
parish  in  James  City  county,  called  "Harrop,"  was  established,  which, 
on  April  1,  1648,  was  united  with  Middle  Plantation  parish,  forming 
the  parish  of  Middletown.  In  1674  the  parish  of  Marston  (establish- 
ed in  York  county  in  1654)  and  Middletown  parish  were  united  under 
the  name  Bruton  parish.  The  source  from  which  the  name  was  de- 
rived is  suggested  by  the  inscription  on  the  tomb  of  Sir  Thomas  Lud- 
well,  which  lies  at  the  entrance  of  the  north  transept  door,  which  states 
that  he  was  born  "at  Bruton,  in  the  county  of  Summerset,  in  the  King- 
dom of  England,  and  departed  this  life  in  the  year  1678." 

There  was  a  church  building  in  Williamsburg  in  1665,  which  in 
1674  had  come  to  be  known  as  the  "Old  Church."  This  fact  is  es- 
tablished by  an  entry  in  the  vestry  book  of  Middlesex  parish,  which 
directs  that  a  church  be  built  in  that  parish,  "after  the  model  of  the 
one  in  Williamsburg."  How  long  this  building  had  been  in  use  is 
not  known,  but  it  had  grown  old  in  1674,  at  which  time  the  new  vestry 
book  opens  with  the  order  under  date,  "April  ye  18th,"  that  a  "new 
church  be  built  with  brick  att  ye  Middle  Plantation."  Land  sufficient 
for  the  church  and  church-yard  was  given  by  Col.  John  Page,  together 
with  twenty  pounds  sterling  to  aid  in  erection  of  the  building.  The 
beginning  of  Church  life  in  this  building,  the  foundations  of  which 
were  unearthed  during  the  excavations  made  in  1905.  is  noted  in  the 
quaint  entry  under  date  "November  ye  29th,  1683:     Whereas,  ye  Brick 


56 

Church  al  Middle  Plantation  is  now  finished,  It  is  ordered  yt  all  ye 
Inhalntants  of  ye  said  Parish  do  for  the  future  repair  thither  to  hear 
Divine  Service  and  ye  Word  of  God  preached;  And  that  Mr.  Rowland 
Jones,  Minister,  do  dedicate  ye  said  Church  ye  sixth  of  January  next, 
l)eing  ye  Epiphany." 

The  records  of  this  period  tell  of  the  "old  Communion  Table,"  which 
is  to  be  removed  to  the  minister's  house  and  there  remain;  of  the  pur- 
chase of  a  "Ring  of  Bells";  of  fees  paid  in  tobacco  for  registering  offi- 
cial acts,  and  for  digging  graves  in  the  church  aisle  and  chancel,  and 
of  "ye  sum  of  Sixteen  Thousand  Six  Hundred  and  Sixty  Six  pounds 
of  Tobacco  and  Caske,"  to  be  paid  annually  to  Mr.  Rowland  Jones, 
minister.  Colonel  John  Page  has  accorded  to  him  "the  privilege  to  sett 
a  pew  for  himself  and  family  in  the  Chancell  of  the  New  Church," 
while  the  rest  of  the  congregation  is  made  subject  to  the  order  "that 
ye  Men  sit  on  the  North  side  of  the  Church  and  ye  Women  on  the  left." 
Later  on  it  is  ordered  that  "Ye  Gallery  be  assigned  for  the  use  of  the 
College  Youth"  of  William  and  Mary,  to  which  gallery  there  is  to  be 
"put  a  door,  with,  a  lock  and  key,  the  sexton  to  keep  the  key."  Here 
the  students  sat  and  carved  their  names,  which  may  be  seen  to-day, 
and  doubtless  indulged  in  incipient  reasoning  relative  to  religious 
liberty.  Thomas  Jefferson  was  among  them.  In  the  long  records  rela- 
tive to  the  conflict  as  to  the  "right  of  Induction"  we  see  the  evidence 
of  the  spirit  of  liberty  and  the  demand  for  self-government.  The 
vestry,  the  representatives  of  the  people,  in  these  conflicts  were  gain- 
ing experience  in  the  science  of  self-government.  Their  contention 
that  the  civil  authority  should  not  impose  ministers  upon  the  congre- 
gation without  the  consent  of  the  people,  led  to  struggles  which  were 
prophetic  and  preparatory  to  the  part  which  the  vestrymen  of  .the 
Church  were  subsequently  to  take  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  as  cham- 
pions of  the  liberties  of  the  people  of  "Virginia. 

Bruton  Parish  church,  upon  the  removal  of  the  seat  of  government 
from  Jamestown  to  Williamsburg  in  1699,  succeeded  to  the  prestige 
which  pertained  to  the  Church  of  the  Capital  of  the  Colony.  From 
this  time  there  grew  about  the  church  an  environment  of  ever-in- 
creasing interest,  and  about  it  gathered  an  atmosphere  which,  with  the 
passing  years,  has  caught  and  reflects  the  light  of  other  days. 

The  county  road  which  ran  by  the  churchyard,  marking  the  inward 
and  outward  march  of  English  civilization,  now  rose  to  the  dignity 
of  the  Duke  of  Gloucester  street.     The  newly-designed  yard  and   gar- 


57 

dens  of  the  Governor's  palace  swept  down  along  the  east  wall  of  the 
chuich.  In  spacious  yards  adjacent  rose  the  stately  homes  of  the 
Virginia  gentry  who  had  resorted  to  the  capital.  Nearby  towered 
the  walls  of  the  College  of  William  and  Mary  and  the  halls 
of  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesses,  and  facing  each  other  on  the 
open  green  stood  the  Court  of  Justice  and  the  octagon  Powder  Horn. 
The  church  had  become  the  Court  Church  of  Colonial  Virginia.  His 
Excellency,  the  Governor,  attended  by  his  Council  of  State,  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  members  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  gave  to  the  church 
an  official  distinction  and  a  position  of  unique  importance. 

The  old  brick  building  of  1674  soon  became  inadequate  to  the  needs 
of  the  situation,  and  in  1710,  during  the  rectorship  of  the  Reverend 
Commissary  James  Blair,  D.  D.,  it  was  determined  that  a  new  church 
should  be  built.  Plans  were  furnished  by  Governor  Alexander  Spots- 
wood,  who  proposed  that  the  vestry  should  build  the  two  ends  of  the 
church  and  promised  that  the  Government  "would  take  care  of  the 
wings  and  intervening  part."  The  House  of  Burgesses,  in  addition, 
was  pleased  to  state  that  they  "would  appropriate  a  Sufficient  Sum  of 
Money  for  the  building  pews  for  the  Governor,  Council  and  the  House 
of  Burgesses,"  and  appointed  Mr.  John  HoUoway,  Mr.  Nicholas  Meri- 
wether and  Mr.  Robert  Boiling  a  committee  to  co-operate  with  the 
vestry  in  the  undertaking. 

This  building,  which  was  completed  in  1715,  has  remained  continu- 
ously in  use  and  has  well  withstood  the  rough  usages  of  war  and  the 
devastating  touch  of  time.  Its  ministers,  as  shown  from  contem- 
poraneous records,  were,  without  a  single  exception,  men  of  superior 
culture  and  godly  piety.  Most  of  them  were  Masters  of  Arts  from  the 
Universities  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  or  full  graduates  of  the  Col- 
lege of  William  and  Mary,  and  that  they  served  the  cause  of  Christ 
with  devotion  and  fidelity  is  attested  in  every  instance  by  resolutions 
of  the  vestry. 

Official  distinction  was  recognized  and  emphasized  in  the  church. 
To  His  Excellency  the  Governor  and  His  Council  of  State  was  assigned 
a  pew  elevated  from  the  floor,  overhung  with  a  red  velvet  canopy,  around 
which  his  name  was  emblazoned  in  letters  of  gold,  the  name  being 
changed  as  Spotswood,  Drysdale,  Gooch,  Dinwiddle,  Fauquier,  Lord 
Botetourt  and  Lord  Dunmore  succeeded  to  office.  In  the  square  pews 
of  the  transepts  sat  the  members  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  the  pews 
in   the  choir  being  assigned   to   the   Surveyor-General   and   the   Parish 


58 

Rector,  while  in  the  overhanging  galleries  in  the  transepts  and 
along  the  side  walls  of  the  church  sat  the  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Burgesses  and  other  persons  of  wealth  and  distinction,  to  whom  the 
privilege  of  erecting  these  private  galleries  was  accorded  from  time 
to  time. 

With  the  approach  of  the  American  Revolution  the  services  in  Old 
Bruton  assumed  a  tone  of  tenderness  and  thrilling  interest,  unique 
in  character  and  fervent  with  power.  Men,  as  they  listened  to  the 
proclamation  of  the  Gospel  of  Redemption,  saw  clearer  the  vision 
of  liberty  and  felt  a  deeper  need  of  the  guidance  and  help  of  God. 
Washington  makes  mention  in  his  diary  of  attending  services  here, 
and  adds,  "and  fasted  all  day."  A  contemporaneous  letter,  writ- 
ten by  one  of  the  congregation  to  a  friend  in  London,  tells  of  the  in- 
tensity of  grief  and  the  depth  of  feeling  manifested  in  the  service  held 
by  order  of  the  Government  when  news  reached  America  that  Parlia- 
ment had  passed  the  "Stamp  Act."  The  Church,  it  was  said,  would 
not  begin  to  hold  the  people  who  thronged  to  attend  the  service. 
These  people  loved  old  England,  and  were  bound  to  her  by  material 
interests  and  by  ties  of  blood.  They  wanted  to  continue  to  honor  and 
obey  the  civil  authority,  and  to  pray  for  their  King,  and  they  thronged 
to  these  services  in  old  Bruton  to  express  their  faith  and  devotion  and 
the  passionate  longing  of  their  lives  for  justice,  liberty  and 
peace,  and  to-day  the  old  church  is  hallowed  by  the  memory  of  these 
prayers  which  rose  from  bleeding  hearts  to  our  fathers'  God  and  our 
God,  through  the  Liturgy  which  we  use  and  love  the  more  for  these 
associations  by  which  it  is  hallowed  and  enriched.  In  the  eventide, 
when  the  parting  glory  of  the  day  falls  like  a  benediction  and  lingers 
in  the  old  church,  the  old  scenes  come  like  a  vision  before  the  illumin- 
ed imagination.  Upon  bended  knee  we  seem  to  see  that  noble  band 
of  patriot  legislators — Nelson,  Wythe,  Harrison,  Braxton,  the  Lees, 
Cabell,  Cary,  Carr,  Carrington,  Carter,  Nicholas,  Norvell,  Richard 
Bland,  George  Mason,  Edmund  Pendleton,  Peyton  Randolph,  Patrick 
Henry,  George  Washington  and  the  rest,  and  the  walls  seem  again  to 
echo  back  their  supplication  to  the  King  of  kings — "We  beseech  Thee 
to  hear  us.  Good  Lord." 

The  old  Prayer  Book,  which  bears  the  inscription,  "Bruton  Par- 
ish, 1756,"  bears  witness  through  erasures  and  marginal  insertions 
to  answered  prayers.  The  Prayer  for  the  President  is  pasted  over 
the   Prayer   for   King  George   111.,   while  the   prejudice  engendered   by 


59 

the  passions  of  men  is  evidenced  by  a  line  run  through  the  words 
"King  of  kings,"  and  the  marginal  insertion,  "Ruler  of  the  Universe." 
The  Bible  of  this  period  is  also  preserved,  together  with  the  old  Par- 
ish Register,  containing  the  name  of  George  Washington  eleven  times, 
and  telling  of  the  baptism  of  1,122  negro  servants  within  a  period  of 
twenty-five  years,  with  many  pages  of  the  record  of  this  period  missing. 

Besides  these  the  church  is  the  inheritor  and  custodian  of  other  sa- 
cred memorials  of  the  past.  The  old  Jamestown  baptismal  font  and 
Communion  silver  are  still  in  use  at  Bruton  Parish  church,  together 
with  a  set  of  Commimion  silver,  made  in  1686,  given  by  Lady  Gooch  to 
the  College  of  William  and  Mary,  and  a  set  bearing  the  royal  arms  of 
King  George  III.  These  memorials  will  be  preserved  in  the  future 
in  the  fireproof  crypt  built  beneath  the  chancel  of  the  church. 

It  seems  almost  incredible  that  the  need  of  a  Sunday-school  room 
should  have  led  the  congregation  in  1840  to  yield  to  the  spirit  of  in- 
novation and  destroy,  as  they  did,  the  interior  form  and  appearance 
of  the  church,  but  at  this  time  a  partition  wall  was  built  across  the 
church;  the  high  corner  pulpit,  the  colonial  pews  and  the  flag-stone 
chancel  and  aisles  were  removed;  the  chancel,  which  enshrined  the 
graves  of  Orlando  Jones,  progenitor  of  Mrs.  Martha  Washington;  the 
graves  of  the  Blairs  and  Monroes,  and  of  Rev.  Dr.  William  H.  Wilmer, 
was  removed  from  its  ancient  place  in  the  east  end  of  the  church  and 
affixed  to  the  wall  of  partition,  and  the  interior  of  the  building  fur- 
nished and  decorated  in  modern  style  with  money  secured  by  a  church 
fair. 

The  work  of  restoration  inaugurated  on  May  15,  1905,  by  a  sermon 
preached  by  Rev.  Beverley  D.  Tucker,  D.  D.,  since  consecrated  Bishop- 
Coadjutor  of  the  Diocese  of  Southern  Virginia,  has  been  planned  and 
executed  with  absolute  fidelity  to  Colonial  type  and  historic  verity,  with 
the  endeavor  to  reproduce  the  form  and  feeling  of  the  past.  Over  $27,000 
has  been  spent  for  the  structural  preservation  and  restoration  of  the 
building.  The  foundations  and  roof  timbers  have  been  renewed;  a 
shingle  tile  roof  covers  the  building,  and  an  iron  and  concrete  floor 
safeguards  it  from  dampness  and  fire.  The  tower  woodwork,  together 
with  the  clock  originally  in  the  House  of  Burgesses,  have  been  restored, 
and  the  bell,  engraved,  "The  gift  of  James  Tarpley  to  Bruton  Parish, 
1761,"  again  rings  out  the  passing  hours.  The  high  pulpit  with  over- 
hanging sounding  boards  stands  again  at  the  southeast  corner  and  is  a 
memorial  to  the  Rev.  Commissary  James  Blair,  D.   D.,  and   the  other 


"^>  .  60 

clergy  of  the  Colonial  period.  The  chantel  has  regained  its  place  in  the 
€ast,  and  with  the  aisles,  is  paved  with  white  marble  in  which'  are  set 
tombstones  appropriately  inscribed  to  mark  the  graves  discovered 
during  the  process  of  excavation.  Of  the  twenty-eight  graves  found  in 
the  aisles  nine  were  identified  by  letters  and  dates  made  by  driving 
brass  tacks  in  the  wood  of  the  coffin,  j^mong  the  graves  thus  marked 
with  marble  slabs  are  those  of  Governor  Francis  Fauquier,  Governor 
Fdmund  Jennings,  and  Dr.  William  Cocke,  Secretary  of  State,  and  re- 
cently the  body  of  the  Hon.  Judge  Edmund  Pendleton  has  been  removed 
from  Caroline  to  be  interred  in  the  north  aisle  of  the  church.  The  pews 
restored  in  Colonial  style  are  all  to  be  made  memoiial;  those  in  the 
transepts  to  twenty-one  of  the  patriots  of  the  Revolution;  those  in 
the  choir  to  the  Surveyors-General  and  the  Presidents  of  the  College 
of  William  and  Mary,  and  those  in  the  nave  to  the  vestrymen  of  the 
parish  during  the  Colonial  period.  Each  pew  has  upon  the  door 
a  bronze  tablet,  inscribed  with  the  name  of  the  person  memorialized. 
Over  the  Governor's  pew  has  been  placed  a  silken  qanopy,  emblazoned 
with  the  name  of  Governor  Alexander  Spotswood,  and  affixed  to  the 
wall  is  a  bronze  tablet  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  Colonial 
Governors  who  worshipped  here. 

The  Bible  given  by  King  Edward  VII.  and  the  lectern  presented  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  are  in  memory  of  the  three  hun- 
dredth anniversary  of  the  establishment  of  the  English  Church  and 
English  civilization  in  America. 

Preserved  and  restored  the  old  church  is  typical  of  the  strong 
and  simple  architectural  designs  of  the  Colonial  period,  and  a  witness 
t)  the  faith  and  devotion  of  the  Nation  Builders.  Rising  from  amid 
the  sculptured  tombs  of  the  honored  dead  who  lie  beneath  the  shadows 
of  its  walls,  old  Bruton  stands,  as  the  Bishop  of  Southern  Virginia 
has  said,  "The  noblest  monument  of  religion  in  America." 

"A  link  among  the  days  to  knit 
The  generations  each  to  each." 


ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH,  ELIZABETH  RIVER  PARISH, 
NORFOLK,  VIRGINIA. 

BY    THK    BISHOP-COADJUTOR    OF    SOUTHERN    VIRGINIA. 

HE  Exposition  which  is  to  commemorate  the  three  hundredth 
anniversary  of  the  first  settlement  of  the  English  at  Jamestown 
is  located  at  Sewell's  Point,  in  Norfolk  county,  Va.  This  was 
the  site  of  one  of  the  earliest  of  our  Colonial  churches,  the  par- 
ish church  of  Elizabeth  River  parish.  The  beginnings  of  the  nation  cor- 
respond with  the  beginnings  of  the  Church  in  America,  and  the  place 
where  the  opening  scenes  in  the  life  of  the  nation  will  be  commemo- 
rated will  be  full  of  associations  connected  with  the  first  planting  of  the 
Church. 

The  settlement  in  what  is  now  Norfolk  county  must  have  been  very 
soon  after  the  permanent  establishment  of  the  Colony  at  Jamestown. 
The  records  of  "Norfolk  county  show  that  in  1637  there  were  two  well- 
organized  churches,  one  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county,  on  Lynnhaven 
Bay,  and  the  other  at  "McSewell's  Point."  This  served  as  the  parish 
church  until  late  in  the  seventeenth  century.  Before  1638,  however, 
the  settlement  at  Elizabeth  River,  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  Nor- 
folk, had  so  largely  increased  that  the  inhabitants  found  it  difficult 
to  attend  the  parish  church,  a  distance  of  eight  miles.  As  seen  by 
the  following  order  this  inconvenience  was  sought  to  be  remedied  by 
the  erection  of  a  chapel  of  ease  at  Elizabeth  River: 

(From    Record    of    Norfolk    County.) 
"At   a  Court  holden    in   the   Lower   County   of  New    Norfolke   21    of 
November  1638. 

"Capt.  Adam  Thorowgood,  Esq.,  Capt.  John  Sibsey,  Mr.  Willie  Julian, 
Mr.  Edward  Windha.  Mr.  Francis  Mason,  Mr.  Henry  Seawell. 

"Whereas  there  hath  beene  an  order  of  Court  granted  by  the  Gov- 
ernor and  Counsell  for  the  Building  and  erecting  of  a  Church  in  the 
upper  *  *  *  of  this  County  with  a  reference  to  the  Commander 
and  Commissioners  of  sd  County  for  appointing  of  a  place  fitting  and 
convenient  for  the  situation  and  building  thereof,  the  sd  order  being 
in  part  not  accomplish.     But   standing  now   in   elsortion   to   be  voyde 


62 

and  the  work  to  fall  into  mine.  We  now  the  sd  Commissioners  tak- 
ing it  into  consideration  doe  appoint  Captain  John  Sibsey  and  Henry 
Seawell  to  procure  workmen  for  the  finishing  of  the  same  and  what 
they  shall  agree  for  with  the  sd  workmen  to  be  levied  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  us  the  Commissioners." 

The  building  of  this  chapel  of  ease  did  not  progress  rapidly.  The 
Rev.  John  Wilson  was  rector  of  the  parish  in  1G37.  Several  orders 
of  the  court  mention  him  as  such,  one  requiring  him  to  pay  certain 
debts  he  had  contracted,  and  another  directing  that  certain  provision 
be  made  for  the  payment  of  tithes  due  him.  It  is  evident  from  this 
that  the  parson  was  as  much  sinned  against  as  he  was  a  sinner  in 
respect  to  indebtedness.  John  Wilson  died  before  the  25th  of  May, 
1640.  On  July  6,  1640,  there  is  an  order  of  court  directing  his  debts 
to  be  paid  out  of  the  uncollected  tithes  due  his  estate. 

This  is  all  that  we  know  of  him.  There  is  nothing  to  indicate  that 
he  was  not  faitnful  in  his  ministry  in  those  difficult  days  of  early 
civilization,  though  he  seems  to  have  been  an  inexperienced  financier. 
In  judging  such  men  from  the  scanty  records  which  are  left,  we 
ought  to  be  careful  to  weigh  our  judgments  by  the  standards  of  their 
day  and  generation,  and  to  remember  that  of  them  it  may  be  especially 
said: 

"The  evil  men  do  lives  after  them. 
The  good  is  oft  interred  with  their  bones." 

After  the  death  of  John  Wilson  steps  were  taken  to  secure  another 
minister,  and  also  to  finish  the  long-needed  "Chappell  of  Ease,"  as 
seen  in  the  following  order.  It  will  be  observed  with  what  seeming 
recklessness,  as  in  all  contemporary  records,  capitals  were  used,  God 
being  spelt  with  a  little  g,  and  inhabitants  with  a  big  I: 

"At  a  Courte  houlden  att  Wm.  Shipps  the  25th  day  of  May,  1640. 

Captain  Thomas  Willoughbie,  Esq.,  Capt.  Jno.  Sibsey,  Lleftent  ffians 
Mason,  Mr.  Hennie  Sewell,  McWm.  Julian. 

"Whereas  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Parishe  beinge  this  day  convented 
for  the  findinge  of  themselves  an  able  minister  to  instructe  them 
concerninge  their  souls  health,  mr.  Thomas  Harrison  tharto  hath  ten- 
dered his  srvice  to  god  and  the  said  Inhabitants  in  that  behalf,  wch 
his  said  tender  is  well  liked  of,  with  great  approbaeon  of  the  said 
Inhabitants,  the  prshoners  of  the  Parrish  churce  at  mr.  Sewell's  Pointe, 
who  to  certifie  their  zeale  and  willingness  to  pmote  god's  service  do 
hereby  pmise   (and  the  Couit  now  sittinge  doth  likewise  order  and  es- 


63 

tablish  the  same)  to  pay  one  hundreth  pounds  sterlinge  yearly  to  the 
sd  mr.  Harrison,  so  Longe  as  he  shall  continue  a  minister  to  the  said 
Parrishe,  in  recompence  of  his  paines,  and  in  full  satisfaccon  of  his 
tytes,  within  his  Limitts  wch  is  to  be  payed  to  him  as  ffolloweth." 

Here  follow  amounts  to  be  paid  by  the  inhabitants  of  the  different 
parts  of  the  parish;  and  then  comes  this  entry,  which  is  the  first  in- 
formation in  regard  to  the  building  of  a  church  in  Elizabeth  River: 

"Whereas  there  is  a  difference  amongst  the  Inhabitants  of  the  ffore- 
said  Pishe,  concerninge  the  employinge  of  a  minister  beinge  now 
entertayned  to  live  among  them.  The  Inhabitants  from  Dauyell  Tan- 
ners Creeke  and  upwards  the  three  branches  of  Elizabeth  River  (in 
respect  they  are  the  greatest  number  of  tithable  persons)  not  thing- 
inge  it  fitt  nor  equall  that  they  should  paye  the  greatest  pte  of  one 
hundred  pounds  wit  is  thaffore  sd  order  allotted  for  the  ministers  an- 
nual! stipend  unless  the  sd  minister  may  teach  and  Instruct  them 
as  often  a?  hee  shall  teach  at  ye  pishe  church  siytuate  at  Mr.  Sewells 
Pointe.  It  is  therefore  agreed  amongst  the  Sd  Inhabitants  that  the 
sd  minister  shall  teach  evie  other  Sunday  amongst  the  Inhabitants 
of  Elizabeth  River  at  the  house  of  Robert  Glascocke  untill  a  convenient 
church  be  built  and  erected  there  for  gods  Service  witt  it  is  agreed 
to  be  finished  at  the  charge  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Elizabeth  River  be- 
fore the  first  of  May  next  ensuenge." 

The  work  of  building  went  along  slowly.  The  workmen  were 
abused  by  one  Mr.  Hayes  as  "a  company  of  Jackanapesses,"  for  not 
making  greater  progress.  Lillie,  who  was  the  builder,  sued  for  slan- 
der and  testified  that  his  work  could  not  go  forward  for  want  of  nayles 
and  other  iron  work. 

The  following  order  shows  that  the  church  was  nearing  completion: 

"At  a  Court  held  May  2nd,  1641,  Whereas  there  was  an  order  of 
Court  granted  by  the  Govr  and  Councell  &  derected  to  the  Commander 
of  this  County  that  theire  pishe  Church  should  be  erected  &  built  at 
Mr.  Seawells  poynt,  at  the  cost  &  charges  of  the  Inhabitants,  and  was 
also  agreed  on  by  the  said-Inhabitants  that  a  Chappell  of  Ease  should 
be  built  in  Elizabeth  River  at  the  charges  of  pticular  famalies  sittu- 
ated  in  the  Aforesaid  River  by  Reason  of  the  Remote  Plantations 
from  the  aforesaid  pishe  Church.  It  is  therefore  ordered  that  at  noe 
time  after  the  date  heire  of  theire  shall  be  any  vestry  chossen  nor  helld 
at  the  aforesaid  Chappell.  but  that  the  said  Chappell  shall  be  accompted 
a  Chappell   of  ease,   but  no   pishe   Church,   and   that   the  vestry   shall 


64 

ever  hereafter  be  chossen  &  held  at  the  aforesaid  pishe  Church:  pro- 
vided that  theire  priveledge  in  the  ministracion  he  a  like  aud  the 
charges  in  the  *  *  *  Minister  every  other  Sunday  until  the  aforesaid 
pishe  Church  be  equally  levied  upon  every  tithable  pson  and  inhabi- 
tinne  in  this  the  aforesaid  pishe." 

An  entry  of  October,  1641,  shows  that  at  that  time  the  Chapel  of 
Ease  was  fully  completed.  As  an  order  was  issued  directing  that  a 
certain  person  should  make  amends  for  scandalous  conduct  by  sitting 
upon  a  stool  at  the  head  of  the  aisle  for  two  successive  Sundays. 

There  is  every  indication  that  this  first  church  was  on  the  site  of 
the  present  St.  Paul's,  as  the  place  was  a  cemetery  long  before  the 
erection  of  the  later  building  in  1739.  For  nearly  a  century  it  served 
as  the  church  house  to  the  citizens  of  the  earlier  Norfolk.  Who  shall 
tell  how  far  its  services  and  ministrations  to  holy  things  went  into 
the  making  of  our  forefathers  for  three  generations;  how  far  they 
helped  to  give  the  tone  to  that  earlier  civilization,  to  fit  the  men  of 
that  day  for  the  service  of  their  God  and  their  country? 

Of  the  ministers  of  the  seventeenth  century  we  know  of  John  Wil- 
son, who  was  rector  in  1637,  but  how  long  before  we  do  not  know.  He 
died  in  1640  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  James  Harrison.  His 
ministry  lasted  until  1644.  The  name  of  his  successor  Is  not  given, 
but  he  proved  unworthy  of  his  holy  office,  though  as  set  forth  in  an 
order  of  court  10th  November,  1649,  he  openly  acknowledged  that  he 
had  committed  the  grievous  sin  of  adultery.  He  was  ordered  to  make 
public  confession  in  both  churches  two  several  Sundays.  In  1654  the 
parish  is  without  a  minister,  and  steps  are  taken  to  secure  one.  a 
vestry  being  ordered  for  Thursday  after  Christmas.  He  was  to  re- 
ceive 10,000  pounds  of  tobacco.  The  Rev.  William  Wern  was  rector 
in  1680,  but  when  he  took  charge  is  not  known.  Mr.  Wern  is  the  last 
minister  of  whom  we  have  the  record  in  the  seventeenth  century.  In 
1682  Captain  Samuel  Boush  gave  a  chalice  to  the  church  in  Norfolk. 

We  know  but  little  of  the  history  of  St.  Paul's  in  the  beginning  of 
the  eighteenth  century.  The  first  minister  mentioned  is  the  Rev. 
James  Falconer  in  1722.  How  long  he  had  been  in  charge  we  do  not 
know.  He  was  succeeded  in  1724  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Garzia.  who  came 
wilh  very  high  recommendations  to  the  Governor  of  the  Colony,  and 
who  is  always  highly  spoken  of.  The  Rev.  Moses  Robertson  was  rec- 
tor in  1734. 

In    1739    the    present    church    was    erected.     The    church    which    pre- 


65 

ceded  was  probably  built  of  bricks,  for  in  1749  an  order  in  the  vestry 
book  directs  that  the  bricks  and  timber  of  the  old  church  be  given  to 
Jamec  Pasteur  for  the  erection  of  a  school-house.  The  present  building 
is  ve:y  pleasing  in  its  proportions,  following,  except  for  the  ceiling 
of  the  interior,  which  was  changed,  the  simple  Norman  lines  of  many 
of  the  village  churches  of  the  period  in  Old  England.  The  date  1739 
appears  in  raised  brick  on  the  south  wall,  and  below  are  the  letters 
S.  B.,  supposed  to  designate  Samuel  Boush,  who  is  said  to  have  given 
the  land  for  the  church.  Father  and  son  of  that  name  were  vestry- 
men of  the  church.  About  this  time  the  church  bears  the  name  of  the 
Borough  of  the  Parish  church.  It  may  be  that  the  church  at  Sewell's 
Point  had  passed  into  disuse,  and  that  the  chapel  of  ease  had  entered 
upon  the  full  dignity  of  the  parish  church.  In  1749  the  Rev.  Charles 
Smith  is  rector,  and  probably  was  for  several  years  before.  The  re- 
cords of  the  vestry  only  dated  from  1749  to  1761,  when  the  parish  was 
divided.  Mr.  Smith  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  piety  and  good 
character.  On  the  division  of  the  parish  he  took  charge  of  Ports- 
mouth, and  died  as  rector  there  lllh  January,  1773,  after  a  faithful 
and  godly  ministry  of  thirty  years.  In  1761  the  parish  was  divided 
into  Norfolk,  St.  Bride's  (Berkeley)  and  Portsmouth.  The  first  minis- 
ter after  the  division  whose  name  has  been  preserved  was  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Davis — 1773  to  1776.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  he  was 
one  of  the  most  ardent  patriots,  president  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty. 
Despite  the  statement  of  the  historians,  a  careful  study  of  the  records 
will  show  that  the  large  majority  of  the  clergymen  in  charge  of  the 
Episcopal  churches  in  Virginia  at  the  breaking  out  of  the  war  were 
true  to  the  American  cause,  and  that  a  bare  handful  were  loyalists.  The 
contrary  is  one  of  the  flagrant  mistakes  of  history  which  the  facts 
contradict. 

With  the  opening  of  the  year  1776  there  came  sad  days  to  St.  Paul's. 
The  bombardment  of  the  town  by  the  fleet  of  Lord  Dunmore,  and  the 
firing  of  the  homes  left  the  place  in  ruins.  St.  Paul's  did  not  escape. 
The  interior  was  burned  out,  but  the  walls,  built  strong  and  true,  re- 
mained intact  save  for  the  scar  of  a  ball  from  the  frigate  Liverpool, 
whi'h  can  be  seen  to-day  cemented  in  the  indenture  it  made.  With 
the  church  were  lost  the  ancient  records  and  many  things  that  linked 
it  with  the  past.  The  church  was  partially  restored  after  the  disaster 
to  the  town,  and  the  Rev.  Walker  Maury  was  minister  from  1786  to 
1788.     He  was  of  the  French  Huguenot  stock,  connected  with  the  Fon- 


66 

taines;   a  man  of  pure  life  and  earnest  zeal.     He  died  of  yellow  lever, 
October  11,  1788. 

From  1789  to  1791  the  Rev.  James  Whitehead  was  rector  of  Elizabeth 
River  parish.  He  was  an  excellent  man,  esteemed  for  his  earnestness. 
Unfortunately  the  claim  to  the  rectorship  was  disputed  by  the  Rev. 
William  Bland.  The  latter  was  an  ardent  patriot,  but  a  man  of  in- 
temperate habits.  The  two  parsons  had  separate  vestries  and  held 
alternate  services  in  the  old  church.  At  last,  in  1800.  Mr.  Whitehead 
and  his  numerous  friends  withdrew  and  left  Mr.  Bland  in  possession 
of  St.  Paul's,  whilst  they  built  on  Chuich  street  the  First  Christ  church, 
at  a  cost  of  $](j,000. 

Soon  after  this  Mr.  Bland  seems  to  have  left  Norfolk,  and  the  old 
church  was  used  by  the  Baptists  for  a  while,  and  then  by  the  colored 
people  of  that  church,  and  finally  abandoned.  In  1832,  however,  in 
response  to  a  call  from  a  number  of  prominent  Episcopalians,  the  con- 
gregation was  reorganized,  the  church  repaired,  and  solemnly  conse- 
crated by  the  name  of  St.  Paul's,  by  Bishop  Moore.  In  the  same  year 
it  entered  upon  a  new  life. 

The  first  rector  after  the  restoration  was  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Boyden, 
honored  and  reveied  for  a  long  life  of  godly  service  in  the  Diocese  of 
Virginia.  It  was  a  day  of  small  things,  of  struggle  with  financial  prob- 
lems, but  the  work  went  bravely  on.  Mr.  Boyden  meekly  asked  per- 
mission of  the  vestry  to  wear  the  surplice  in  the  performance  of  divine 
services.  They  gave  permission  with  the  proviso  that  its  use  should 
be  discontinued  if  objection  were  made.  Mr.  Boyden  served  from  1833 
to  1835.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Atkinson,  afterwards  the  distinguished 
Bishop  of  North  Carolina,  was  in  charge  from  1837  to  1838.  During  a 
lart  of  1838  the  Rev.  Joseph  P.  Wilmer.  afterwards  Bishop  of  Louisi- 
ana, served  as  rector.  After  difficulty  in  securing  a  rector,  the  Rev. 
Benjamin  W.  Miller,  of  the  Eastern  Shore,  came  to  St.  Paul's,  and 
until  1849  did  faithful  service.  His  ministry  made  a  good  impression 
and  the  church  strengthened.  The  Rev.  Leonidas  T.  Smith  was  in  tem- 
poiary  charge  in  1845,  when  the  Rev.  David  Caldwell  came.  He  was  a 
man  of  fine  intellect,  of  gentle  nature,  strong  as  a  preacher  and  loving 
as  a  pastor.  His  health,  however,  was  feeble,  and  he  left  the  congre- 
gation who  loved  him  so  well,  to  seek  health  in  a  more  Southern  cli- 
mate.    His  memory  is  still  held  dear  by  the  older  generation. 

In  1849  the  Rev.  William  M.  Jackson  began  a  faithful  ministry,  whir-h 
ended  with  his  death,  as  a  martyr  to  duty,  during  the  yellow  fever  epi- 


67 

demic  of  1855.  His  ministry  was  effectual,  and  when  tlie  time  came 
that  tried  men's  souls,  he  gave  himself  day  and  night  to  the  care  of  the 
sick  and  the  burying  of  the  dead.  He  did  his  work  with  a  courage 
and  devotion  which  seemed  inspired,  and  then  succumbed  to  the  dread 
disease.  He  was  laid  to  rest  by  his  faithful  brethren,  the  Rev.  Aris- 
tides  Smith  and  the  Rev.  Lewis  Walke. 

It  was  no  easy  task  to  make  the  church  once  more  a  power  for  good 
in  the  community.  But  a  man  of  God  was  sent,  whose  consecrated 
faith  was  only  equalled  by  the  unflinching  courage  he  brought  to  the 
task,  and  with  which  he  met  the  still  greater  trials  the  near  future  had 
in  charge  for  old  St.  Paul's — Nicholas  Albertson  Okeson,  a  man  of 
strong  individuality,  unsparing  in  his  judgment  of  sin,  but  full  of  wo- 
manly sympathy  and  tenderness  for  the  poor  and  sinful.  As  a  preach- 
er he  was  strong,  original,  incisive,  blunt  at  times,  like  Latimer.  He 
took  such  hold  of  the  people,  not  only  of  his  own  congregation,  but  of 
the  community,  that  it  will  not  soon  lose  the  impress  of  his  character. 
Blessed  with  such  a  minister,  the  church  was  beginning  to  revive  and 
flourish,  when  war  once  more  thundered  in  Norfolk  harbor,  and  the 
flock  was  again  scattered. 

After  the  capture  of  Norfolk  by  the  Federals,  the  church  was 
taken  possession  of  by  the  military  forces,  and  Dr.  Okeson  was  asked 
by  the  congregation  of  Christ  church,  then  vacant,  to  take  temporary 
charge.  He  went  with  the  remnant  of  his  people,  and  the  two  congre- 
gations worshipped  together  during  those  trying  times. 

The  following  official  orders  tell  the  story  of  the  seizure  and  the 
restoration  of  the  church: 

Headquarters   Norfolk  and  Portsmouth,  Oct.  29,  1863. 
To  the  Wardens  of  8t.  PauVs  Church,  Norfolk: 

Gents, — I  am  directed  by  the  General  commanding  to  notify  you 
that  it  is  necessary  for  the  public  service  that  he  should  provide  a  suit- 
able place  for  the  performance  of  religious  service  for  the  benefit  of 
the  officers  and  men  under  his  command. 

He  has  selected  for  this  purpose  St.  Paul's,  in  this  city,  and  shall  re- 
quire it  immediately.  The  service  will  be  according  to  the  ritual  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  United  States.  I  am  also  directed 
to  state  that  the  commanding  General  will  hear  you,  should  you  desire 


68 

to  confer  with  him  on  the  subject,  at  12  o'clock  M.  to-morrow  at  these 
headquarters. 

I  am,  gentlemen,  very  respectfully,  your  obdt.  servt., 

George  H.  Johnston,  Capt.  and  A.  A.  Gen. 
Special  Order  No.  4G. 

NoRTOLK,  Va.,  Nov,  1,  1865. 

St.  Paul's  church,  of  Norfolk,  Virginia,  being  no  longer  needed  by 
the  military  authorities,  is  hereby  turned  over  to  the  old  Presbytery 
and  congregation. 

By  order  of  Brevet  Major-Gen.  A.  A.  Torbert. 

.John  L.  W.akden.  Jr.,  Asst.  Adj. -Gen. 

When  the  war  was  over,  the  minister  and  congregation  bent  their 
energies  to  the  work  of  restoration  and  repair.  Money  had  to  be  raised 
to  make  the  church  habitable,  and  money  in  such  a  community  was 
scarce;  but  love  for  the  old  church  and  devotion  to  the  Lord  accom- 
plished much,  and  a  few  years  saw  the  parish,  prosperous  as  it  had 
never  been  before.  Dr.  Okeson  resolved  to  make  the  churchyard, 
which  comprises  nearly  two  acres,  equal  to  the  fairest  he  had  seen  in 
the  mother  country.  The  grand  old  elms  and  willows  were  there  al- 
ready; but  it  is  to  his  skill  and  labor  that  we  owe  the  wealth  of  ever- 
green, the  preservation  of  the  monuments,  whose  scars  he  taught  the 
kindly  ivy  to  hide,  and  the  flowers  and  shrubbery  which  make  St. 
Paul's  churchyard  so  fair  and  restful  a  place.  There,  when  his  work 
was  finished,  he  was  laid  to  rest,  by  special  consent  of  the  city  au- 
thorities, among  the  dead  whose  graves  he  had  saved  from  desecra- 
tion, and  under  the  shadow  of  the  wall  which  echoed  to  his  faithful 
preaching  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 

In  December,  1882,  the  Rev.  Beverley  Dandridge  Tucker  succeeded 
Dr.  Okeson,  coming  from  Lunenburg  and  North  Uarnham  parishes. 
"Virginia.  The  devotion  and  zeal  of  the  congregation  has  enabled  him 
to  carry  on  the  work  so  faithfully  done  by  the  godly  man  who  pre- 
ceded. The  election  of  Dr.  Tucker  as  Bishop-Coadjutor  of  Southern 
Virginia  terminates  a  ministry  of  twenty-four  years. 

The  interior  of  the  church,  which  had  been  much  changed,  was  re- 
stored in  1892,  and  the  detached  tower  built  in  1901.  The  church  has 
the  beginning  of  an  endowment,  and  is  well  equipped  to  continue  its 
work  for  the  cure  of  souls,  and  to  the  glory  of  God. 

The  following  notes  may  be  of  interest  in  connection  with  this 
sketch  of  old  St.  Paul's: 


69 

Rev.  M.  E.  Willig  was  the  Federal  chaplain  whilst  the  church  was 
in  the  possession  of  the  military  authorities.  Rev.  Dr.  Okeson,  of  St. 
Paul's,  acted  through  that  period  as  rector  of  Christ  church,  Norfolk, 
ministering  to  the  people  of  both  congregations.  It  is  pleasing  to  re- 
cord that  during  the  past  year  the  Federal  government,  through  the 
Court  of  Claims  and  Congress,  reimbursed  St.  Paul's  church  for  the 
losses  incurred  by  the  occupation  of  the  edifice  by  the  military  author- 
ities.    The  amount  refunded  was  $3,600. 

John  Hancock's  Chair. 

A  highly  interesting  relic  at  St.  Paul's  is  the  chair  in  which  John 
Hancock  sat  when  he  signed  the  Declaration  of  American  Indepen- 
dence. It  is  a  mahogany  arm-chair,  upholstered  in  leather,  and  upon 
it  is  a  silver  plate  bearing  the  following  inscription: 

"This  chair  was  occupied  by  John  Hancock  when  he  signed  the  Dec- 
laration of  Independence.  It  was  bought  by  Colonel  Thomas  M.  Bay- 
ly, of  Accomac  county,  Va.  At  his  death  it  became  the  property  of 
his  daughter  Ann,  who  subsequently  intermarried  with  the  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin M.  Miller,  once  rector  of  St.  Paul's  church,  Norfolk,  Va.,  who 
presented  it  to  the  parish." 

Comparatively  few  people  know  that  this  chair  is  in  St.  Paul's.  It 
is  in  the  vestry  room,  and  to  those  who  have  their  attention  attracted 
to  it,  it  appeals  with  great  interest. 

The  Marble  Font. 

The  marble  font  in  the  church  is  a  copy  of  one  given  by  "King" 
Carter  to  Christ  church  in  Lancaster  county,  Va.,  in  1734.  The  bowl 
is  upheld  by  three  cherubs.  The  font  was  carved  by  a  Danish  artist 
in  New  York,  and  was  presented  to  the  church  by  the  late  Mrs.  Sarah 
F.  Pegram.  who  also  gave  the  Holy  Table,  which  is  a  copy  of  one  in 
Yorkshire,  England,  of  the  date  of  1680.    The  table  is  of  English  oak. 

Vestrymen   of  the   Parish. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vestrymen  of  St.  Paul's  church,  Eliza- 
beth River  parish,  at  certain  crucial  periods  of  its  history — the  building 
of  the  present  church,  the  reorganization  in  1832  and  in  1865,  and  the 
improvements  in  1892: 

1749— Rev.  Charles  Smith,  Col.  George  Newton,  Col.  William  Craf- 
ford.  Col.  Samuel  Boush,  Capt.   William  Hodges,  Capt.  Willis  Wilson, 


70 

Warden,  Capt.  John  Phipp.  Warden,  Mr.  Charles  Sweny,  Capt.  James 
Joy,  Mr.   Samuel   Boush. 

1832 — William  H.  Thompson,  Treasurer,  Richard  B.  Maury,  Secre- 
tary.  George  Rowland,  Alpheus  Forbes,  Alexander  Gait. 

1865— Rev.  N.  A.  Okeson,  William  W.  Lamb,  William  H.  Smith,  Dr. 
Robert  B.  Tunstall,  William  T.  Harrison,  Alfred  L.  Seabury,  Richard 
H.    Baker,   Jr. 

1892 — Rev.  Beverley  D.  Tucker,  Richard  H.  Baker,  Warden,  James 
Y.  Leigh,  Warden,  Caldwell  Hardy,  Registrar,  Walter  F.  Irvine,  Treas- 
urer. B.  Atkinson  Marsden,  Capt.  Robert  B.  Pegram,  Richard  B.  Tun- 
stall, Adam  Tredwell,  Dr.  Herbert  M.  Nash. 

The  Old  Cannon  B.\ll. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  church  is  the  cannon 
ball  fired  by  Lord  Dunmore,  the  last  Colonial  Governor  of  Virginia, 
during  his  bombardment  of  Norfolk  in  1776.  The  ball,  after  striking 
the  church,  fell  to  the  ground  beneath,  and  was  covered  up  there  for 
many  years,  remaining  buried  in  the  earth  till  1848.  The  Daily  South- 
ern Argus,  a  newspaper  published  in  Norfolk,  gave,  in  its  issue  of 
Saturday,  May  13,  1848,  an  account  of  "the  recent  finding"  of  the  ball 
in  the  earth  beneath  the  indenture  which  it  had  made  in  the  wall 
of  the  church  where  it  first  struck.  This  account  says  the  ball  was 
found  about  two  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  immediately 
under  the  indenture  in  the  wall.  The  ball  was  replaced  in  the  inden- 
ture and  there  cemented,  where  it  now  attracts  much  attention  and 
interest  from  tourists,  thousands  of  whom  visit  the  church  every 
year — being  located  on  tne  south  side  of  the  church,  just  at  the  corner, 
near  Church  street.  It  is  marked  by  a  plate  on  which  is  the  inscrip- 
tion: 

Fired  By 

Lord  Dunmore, 

Jan.   1.    1776. 

This  plate  was  placed  there  in  1901  by  Great  Bridge  Chapter,  Daugh- 
ters of  the  American  Revolution.  The  bombardment  above  referred  to 
occurred  between  three  and  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  Monday, 
January  1,  1776,  the  first  gun  being  fired  by  the  warship  "Liverpool." 
The  ball  which  struck  the  church  is  rei)uted  to  have  been  fired  by  the 
"Liverpool." 


71 

Memorial  Windows. 

In  the  church  are  four  beautiful  windows,  two  in  the  rear  of  the 
chancel  and  two  on  the  north  side  of  the  nave.  Those  back  of  the 
chancel  are  inscribed  as  follows: 

"To  the  glory  of  God  and  to  the  memory  of  the  Reverend  William 
Myers  Jackson.  Born  Oct.  19th,  1809.  Died  Oct.  3d,  1855.  (On  this 
window  is  a  representation  of  St.  John  on  Patmos  receiving  the  revela- 
tion from  an  angel.) 

"To  the  glory  of  God  and  to  the  memory  of  the  Reverend  Nicholas 
Albertson  Okeson.  Born  Nov.  5th,  1819.  Died  Sept.  16th,  1882.  (On 
this  window  is  a  representation  of  St.  Paul  on  Mars  Hill.) 

The  Old  To.mrs. 

At  St.  Paul's  is  a  book  containing  the  record  of  inscriptions  on  the 
tombstones  in  the  yard  of  the  church.  This  book  was  gotten  up  by 
the  Bishop  Randolph  Chapter,  Daughters  of  the  King,  1902.  It  is  in- 
dexed and  is  very  handy.  It  shows  that  there  are  265  tombs  in  the 
churchyard.     Many  others  have  disappeared. 

The  oldest  tomb  in  the  churchyard  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  church, 
and  bears  the  following  inscription:  "Here  lies  the  body  of  Dorothy 
Farrell  who  deceased  the  18th  of  January  1673." 

Another  of  the  older  and  most  striking  tombs  is  inscribed  as  fol- 
lows: "Here  Lyeth  The  Body  of  John  Taylor  Merchant  in  Norfolk. 
Born  In  The  Parish  of  Fintrie  In  The  County  Of  Stirling  In  1694.  And 
Died  On  The  25th  Of  October  1744  In  The  51st  Year  Of  His  Age." 
Coat  of  Arms  cut  with  motto,  "Fide  et  Fiducia."  This  inscription 
was  restored  by  his  great-great-grandson,  F.  S.  Taylor,  of  Norfolk, 
in  1892. 

"  The  latest  tomb  in  the  churchyard  is  inscribed  as  follows:  "Nicholas 
Albertson  Okeson.  Born  Nov.  1819.  Died  Sept.  16,  1882.  An  earnest 
and  zealous  minister  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and  for  26  years  the 
faithful  and  beloved  Rector  of  this  church.  'They  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness  shall  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever.  Hold  fast 
the  form  of  sound  words  which  thou  hast  heard  of  me  in  faith  and 
love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus.' — 2d  Tim.  1:  13." 

On  the  urn  at  the  foot  of  Rev.  Dr.  Okeson's  grave  is  the  following 
inscription:  "Affection's  Offering  From  The  Children's  Aid  Society 
of  St.  Paul's  Church  to  the  memory  of  their  late  beloved  pastor  Rev. 
N.    A.   Okeson,   D.   D." 


72 

In  the  churchyard  is  an  ohl  tombstone  that  does  not  mark  a  grave. 
It   is  inscribed  as  follows: 

Coat  of  arms.  "Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Elizabeth,  the  wife  of  the 
Honorable  Nathaniel  Bacon,  Esq.,  who  departed  this  life  the  second 
day  of  November  One  Thousand  Six  Hundred  and  Ninety-One,  in  the 
Sixty-Second  year  of  her  age."  This  tomb  was  brought  from  King's 
Creek,  James  River,  at  request  of  Rev.  N.  A.  Okeson,  D.  D.  Elizabeth 
Bacon  was  the  wife  of  Col.  Nathaniel  Bacon.  He  was  President  of 
the  Virginia  Council  and  a  cousin  of  young  Nathaniel  Bacon,  the 
patriot  of  1675.  She  was  a  daughter  of  Richard  Kingswell,  gent,  and 
was  married  first  to  Capt.  William  Taylor,  also  member  of  Virginia 
Council. 

Some   Old  Records. 

The  following  are  some  interesting  entries  in  the  old  vestry  book 
of   1749: 

1751 — Received  into  the  vestry,  of  Capt.  Geo.  Whitwell,  commander 
of  his  Majesty's  ship  Triton,  a  silver  plate  as  a  compliment  for  his 
wife,  Mary  Whitwell,  being  interred  in  this  church. 

Ordered  Mr.  Matt.  Godfrey,  Mr.  William  Nash,  Capt.  Trimigan 
Tatem,  and  Mr.  William  Ashley  shall  have  leave  and  are  hereby  em- 
powered to  build  a  gallery  in  the  church  in  Norfolk  Town  reaching 
from  the  Pulpit  to  the  School  Boys  Gallery  equally  between  them  and 
their  heirs  forever  to  have  and  to  hold. 


BLANDFORD  CHURCH.   BRISTOL  PARISH, 
VIRGINIA. 

("THE  BRICK  CHURCH  ON  WELLS'S  HILL.") 

BY    CHURCHILL    GIBSON    CIIAMBERLAYNE,    PH.    D. 

^>r-j=;^  HE  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  at  the  session  of  March,  1642- 
'43,  enacted  that  "for  the  conveniency  of  the  inhabitants  on  both 

j)_i  sides  of  Appomattock  River  being  farr  remote  from  the  parish 
church  of  the  said  plantation  upon  Appomattock  be  bounded 
into  a  parish  by  themselves  as  followeth,  to  begin  at  Causon's  ffeild 
within  the  mouth  of  Appomattock  River  on  the  eastward  side,  and  at 
Powell's  Creek  on  the  westward  side  of  the  river,  and  so  to  extend 
up  the  river  to  the  falls  on  both  sides,  and  the  said  parish  to  be  called 
by  the  name  of  Bristol.  (Hening's  "Statutes  at  Large,"  Vol.  L,  p.  251). 
This  was  the  genesis  of  Bristol  Parish. 

At  the  same  session  of  the  General  Assembly  a  Church-government's 
Act  was  passed,  one  of  whose  provisions  was  "That  there  be  a  true  & 
perfect  register  kept  in  a  booke  ....  of  all  weddings,  christenings  & 
burialls  and  that  the  clerke  of  every  parish  shall  present  to  the  com- 
mander of  every  monethly  court  a  list  of  all  weddings,  christenings  & 
burialls  within  their  parish  the  present  moneth."  If,  in  compliance 
with  this  enactment,  Bristol  Parish  did  from  the  beginning  possess 
i^uch  a  "booke,"  it  must  have  disappeared  a  long  time  ago;  absolutely  no 
trace  of  it  remains  to-day.  With  it,  and  the  companion  Vestry  Book — 
if  any  such  ever  existed — were  lost  the  records  of  the  first  seventy-sev- 
en years  of  the  parish's  history.  But  for  the  period  beginning  with 
the  year  1720  and  coming  down  to  the  present  time  the  contemporary 
sources  for  a  history  of  the  parish  are  ample.  To  these  original  sourc- 
es, and  to  one  or  two  works,  like  Slaughter's  "History  of  Bristol  Parish" 
and  Bishop  Meade's  "Old  Churches,  Ministers,  and  Families  of  Vir- 
ginia," based  in  part  upon  them,  reference  will  be  made  from  time  to 
time  during  the  course  of  this  article. 

In  the  year  1720  Bristol  Parish  contained  about  a  thousand  square 
miles.  It  lay  along  the  Appomattox  river  on  both  sides,  extending 
westward  forty  miles  from  the  junction  of  the  Appomattox  with  the 
James.     There  were  848  tithables  in  the  parish,  and  two  places  of  wor- 


74 

ship,  a  church  and  a  chapel.  (See  Perry's  "Papers  Relating  to  the  His- 
tory of  the  Church  in  Virginia,  A.  D.  1650-1776,"  pp.  266-268.  Queries  of 
the  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  answered  by  George  Robertson,  Minister  of 
Bristol  Parish;  also  "The  Vestry  Book  and  Register  of  Bristol  Parish, 
Virginia,  1720-1789,"  pp.  3-4.) 

In  regard  to  the  sittiation  of  the  Church,  there  has  been  some  di- 
versity of  opinion.  Bishop  Meade  says  ("Old  Churches,"  etc.,  Vol.  I.,  p. 
439):  "Within  the  bounds  of  this  parish,"  i.  e.,  Bristol,  "was  the  old 
settlement  of  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  in  1611,  called  Bermuda  Hundred,  at  the 
jtinction  of  James  River  and  Appomattox.  Settlements  were  from  time 
to  time,  formed  along  the  river  up  to  the  Falls,  where  is  now  the  town 
of  Petersburg.  The  mother  or  parish  church  was  at  Bermuda  Hundred, 
opposite  to  City  Point,  and  it  was  desirable  to  organize  a  parish  and  pro- 
vide for  those  who  were  settling  higher  up  the  Appomattox  or  Bristol 
River.  That  the  mother  church  ^as  at  this  place  is  evident  from  an  early 
entry  in  the  vestry  book,  where,  for  the  first  and  only  time,  the  mother 
church  is  mentioned;  and  there  in  connection  with  the  ferry  at  the 
Point  (City  Point)  which  is  directed  to  be  kept  in  good  order  for  per- 
sons, on  Sunday,  going  over  to  the  'mother-church'  called,  in  the  Act 
of  Assembly,  the  Parish  Church." 

According  to  Bishop  Meade,  then,  the  mother  church  of  Bristol  Parish 
was  at  Bermuda  Hundred.  Was  this  the  case?  Let  us  examine  first 
his  own  testimony.  That  examination  discovers  errors  of  fact  in  his 
account.  Bermuda  Hundred  was  never  within  the  bounds  of  Bristol 
Parish.  The  parish  church  referred  to  in  the  Act  of  Assembly  was  not 
the  "mother  church"  of  which  occasional  mention  is  made  in  the  Bristol 
Parish  Vestry  Book  dating  from  1720.  At  the  time  that  Act  was  passed 
(i.  e.,  March,  1642-'43),  Bristol  Parish  was  not  in  existence,  and  the  parish 
church  therein  referred  to  was  of  course  the  church  of  that  older  parish 
of  which  the  territory  on  Appomattox  river,  to  be  cut  off  and  made 
into  the  new  parish  of  Bristol,  was  the  outlying  portion.  Whether  the 
parish  church  mentioned  in  the  Act  of  Assembly  of  1642-'43  was  situated 
at  Bermuda  Hundred  or  not  is  a  matter  which  does  not  concern  us. 
That  it  was  not  the  "mother-church"  of  Bristol  Parish  referred  to  in 
the  vestry  book,  is  certain.  In  his  endeavor  to  confirm  his  argument 
by  an  appeal  to  the  vestry  book  Bishop  Meade  falls  into  numerous 
errors.  The  mother  church  is  mentioned  in  the  Vestry  Book  not  once 
only,  but  several  times,  though  not  always,  under  that  name — never, 
however,  in  connection  with  the  ferry  at  City  Point,  "which  is  direct- 
ed to  be  kept  in  good  order." 


75 

The  following  entry  in  the  Vestry  Book  (printed  volume,  page  59, 
manuscript  volume  p.  42),  under  date  of  October  21st,  ]7ol,  is  the  one 
to  which  Bishop  Meade  refers:  "Order'd  that  a  Ferry  be  Keept  at  the 
Point  and  that  it  be  attended  when  the  sermon  is  at  the  Mother  Church 
and  that  the  Min'r  pass  when  he  hath  Occation."  It  is  to  be  noted 
that  this  entry  was  made  eighty-eight  years  after  the  establishment  of 
Bristol  Parish,  and  eleven  years  after  the  first  entry  in  the  book,  that 
there  is  nothing  said  in  it  about  the  Ferry  being  kept  in  good  order;  but 
merely  that  a  Ferry  be  kept — proof  positive  that  at  this  place  no  ferry 
had  previously  been  operated — and  that  the  place  itself  is  referred  to  as 
the  Point  simply,  not  as  City  Point.  Bishop  Meade's  theory  in  regard 
to  the  location  of  the  mother  church  of  Bristol  Parish  is  untenable. 

Where,  then,  was  the  Mother  Church  situated?  First,  let  the  records 
speak  for  themselves.  In  the  Vestry  Book  under  date  of  November 
10th,  1726,  there  is  the  following  entry:  "It  is  ord'red  that  henry  tatam 
be  Clerk  for  the  ferry  Church  and  Chapell  and  y't  he  be  Allow'd  two 
thousand  pounds  of  tob'co  by  the  parrish  P'r  annum."  Again  under 
date  of  November  16th,  1727,  the  following:  "To  henry  tatam  Clerk  of 
the  Mother  Church  and  ferry  Chappie."  These  two  entries  taken  in 
connection  with  the  following,  under  date  of  October  21st,  1731:  "Ordi- 
er'd  that  a  Ferry  be  Keept  at  the  Point  and  that  it  be  attended  when 
the  sermon  is  at  the  Mother  Church  and  that  the  Min'r  pass  when  he 
hath  Occation,"  make  so  much  at  least  plain,  that  the  Mother  Church 
and  the  Ferry  Chapel  were  on  opposite  sides  of  the  river,  and  that  the 
two  places  of  worship  were  not  so  far  apart  as  to  prevent  one  man's 
acting  in  the  capacity  of  clerk  at  both  of  them. 

The  question  now  is.  Where  was  "the  Point"  where,  in  the  year 
1731,  a  ferry  was  ordered  to  be  kept?  That  it  was  not  at  the 
place  now  known  as  City  Point  has  been  already  shown.  There 
/nust  have  been  ferries  at  City  Point  as  far  back  as  a  hundred  years 
before  1731,  and  we  know  from  the  Vestry  Book  that  as  early  as 
1720  there  was  a  ferry  still  higher  up  the  river,  at  Conjurer's  Neck, 
between  City  Point  and  the  falls,  kept  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Kennon. 
With  every  year  the  population  moved  farther  and  farther  toward 
the  west,  and  keeping  pace  with  the  movement  in  the  population, 
ferries  were  continually  being  established  higher  and  higher  up  the 
rivers.  Everything,  then,  tends  to  confirm  the  supposition  that 
"the  Point"  referred  to  in  the  minutes  of  the  vestry  meeting  held 
Oct.  21,  1731,  was  Peter's  Point,  afterwards  Petersburg,  at  the  falls 


7G 

of  the  Apijomattox.  If  any  doubt  rtniained  as  to  its  truth,  it  would 
seem  to  be  set  at  rest  by  the  following  independent  witness,  taken 
from  Col.  Wm.  Byrd's  diary  of  his  "Journey  to  the  Land  of  Eden," 
in  the  year  1733:  "When  we  got  home,  we  laid  the  foundation  of 
two  large  Citys.  One  at  Shaco's,  to  be  called  Richmond,  and  the 
other  at  the  point  of  Appomattuck  River,  to  be  nam'd  Petersburg." 
("The  Writings  of  'Col.  William  Byrd,  of  Westover  in  Virginia,  Esqr.' 
Edited  by  John  Spencer  Bassett,  New  York,  1901.) 

The  records,  finally,  do  not  leave  one  in  doubt  as  to  which  church 
was  on  the  north,  and  which  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  By 
act  of  the  Assembly,  Bristol  Parish  lost,  in  the  year  173  5,  all  that 
part  of  its  territory  lying  north  of  the  Appomattox.  After  that  year 
tne  Vestry  Book  makes  no  further  mention  of  the  mother  church, 
while  references  to  the  Ferry  Chapel  are  as  frequent  as  ever.  A 
tJiorough  knowledge  of  the  existing  records,  then,  tends  to  confirm 
Dr.  Slaughter's  opinion,  held  in  opposition  to  Bishop  Meade,  that 
the  indications  that  point  to  old  "Wood's  Chureh,"  five  miles  from 
Petersbtirg,  in  Chesterfiedd  county,  built  in  1707,  as  the  mother  church 
referred  to  in  the  Vestry  Book  of  Bristol  Parish. 

The  site  of  the  Chapel,  or  Ferry  Chaple,  as  it  is  frequently  called 
in  the  Vestry  Book,  has  never  been  a  matter  of  serious  investigation. 
Bishop  Meade  erroneously  supposed  that  it  "stood  near  the  falls,  and 
not  far  from  the  old  Blandford  church,  which  took  its  place  in  the 
year  1737  or  1738."  (Bishop  Meade's  "Old  Churches,"  etc..  Vol.  I., 
p.  439).  But,  as  has  been  shown,  the  ferry  at  "the  Point,"  that  is  at 
what  is  now  Petersburg,  was  not  established  until  1731,  while  the 
Ferry  Chapel  was  being  used  as  a  place  of  worship  in  17  20,  and 
doubtless  it  had  been  in  existence  for  some  time  when  the  first  en- 
tries in  the  Vestry  Book  were  written.  The  ferry  from  which  the 
Chapel  took  its  name,  and  hence  at,  or  near  which  it  was  situated, 
was  without  the  least  shadow  of  a  doubt  that  kept  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Kennon,  who  lived  at  Conjurer's  Neck  (the  Brick  House)  in  what  was 
then  Henrico,  now  Chesterfield,  county,  on  the  Appomattox  River, 
between  City  Point  and  the  falls.  The  Chapel  was  located  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river  in  Prince  George  County. 

During  the  fourteen  years  between  1720  and  173  4  the  number  of 
tithables  in  Bristol  Parish  more  than  doubled.  In  the  latter  year 
there  were  returned  2084.  The  places  of  worship  too  had  increased 
from    two    to    five.      Besides    the    mother   church     and     the     Ferry 


77 

Chapel  there  were  now  chapels  on  Namozine,  Sapponey,  and  Flat 
Creeks,  all  south  of  the  Appomattox. 

Some  time  during  the  session  of  1734  the  General  Assembly  of 
Virginia  passed  an  act  creating  the  parish  of  Raleigh,  and  another 
creating  the  parish  of  Dale.  The  former  act  was  to  go  into  effect 
on  March  25th,  1735,  the  latter,  on  May  31st  of  the  same  year. 
The  creation  of  these  new  parishes  very  much  reduced  the  area  of  Bris- 
tol. The  number  of  tithables,  too,  which  in  the  meantime  had  increas- 
ed to  2,305,  was  cut  down  to  1,349.  Of  the  five  places  of  worship  for- 
merly in  the  parish  only  two  were  left,  the  Ferry  Chapel,  and  the 
chapel  on  Sapponey  Cr^ek,  both  frame  buildings,  the  former  being  in  a 
half-ruinous   condition. 

The  passage  of  the  acts  in  regard  to  Raleigh  and  Dale  parishes 
placed  the  vestry  of  Bristol  in  an  embarrassing  situation.  Before 
that  time,  namely,  at  a  vestry  meeting  held  March  11th,  1733,  it 
was  "Ordred  that  a  new  Church  be  built  of  Brick  on  Wellses  Hill 
for  the  Conveniency  of  this  Parish  Sixty  foot  long  and  twenty-five 
foot  Wide  in  the  Clear  Eighteen  foot  Pitch  with  Compass  Sealing 
and  Compass  windows  the  Isle  Eight  foot  wide  Laid  with  Portland 
stone  or  Bristol  marble  Sash  Glass  Covered  first  with  Inch  Plank 
Ciphir'd  and  a  Coat  of  hart  Cipruss  or  pine  Shingles  %  of  an  inch 
thick  at  the  lower  End  nailed  on  foalding  Shuttors  of  windscut 
for   the   windows" 

In  November  of  the  next  year  (i.  e.,  1734,)  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
in  the  meantime  the  creation  of  the  two  new  parishes  had  been 
determined  upon  by  the  General  Assembly,  it  was  ordered  "that 
Colo  Robert  Boiling,  Capt  William  Stark  and  Majr  William  Poyth- 
res  agree  with  workmen  for  Building  a  new  Church  according  to 
the  former  Order  made  March  ye  11th  1733."  At  the  laying  of  the 
levies  for  that  year  25,000  pounds  of  tobacco  was  levied  toward 
building  the,  new  church.  This  caused  trouble,  for  those  tithables 
whose  affiliation  with  Bristol  parish  was  to  come  to  an  end  in 
March  and  May,  1735,  objected  to  being  made  to  contribute  toward 
the  building  of  a  church  with  which  they  would  never  have  any  of- 
ficial connection.  An  echo  of  the  protest  they  made  is  heard  from 
Williamsburg.  At  a  vestry  meeting  held  on  August  12th,  1735,  it 
was  ordered  "In  Obedience  to  the  Governors  order  that  the  Church 
warden  do  desire  the  workmen  to  delay  going  forv/ard  with  the 
building  the  Church  on  Well's  Hill  till  the  Governors  pleasure  Is 
further  known." 


78 

Evidently  the  Governor's  i)rohibition  was  soon  removed,  for  at 
the  next  vestry  meeting,  held  at  the  Ferry  Chapel  September  15th, 
1735,  it  was  ordered  "That  the  Church  wardens  pay  the  remaining 
part  of  the  Parish  Money  in  their  hands  to  Colo  Thomas  Ravens- 
croft  upon  his  giving  bond  to  compleat  the  Church  upon  Well's 
Hill  pursuant  to  agreemt  made  May  4th  1735  Between  himself  and 
members  of  this  Vestry  appointed  for  that  purpose."  The  agree- 
ment referred  to  in  this  order  appears  In  the  Vestry  Book,  pages 
7  2    &    73,    as    follows: 

"Order'd  that  a  Church  be  built  of  Brick  on  Wellses  Hill  to  be 
60  foot  by  25  foot  in  the  Clear  and  15  foot  to  the  spring  ot  the  Arch 
from  the  floor  which  is  to  be  at  least  18  Inches  above  the  highest 
part  of  the  ground  3  Bricks  thick  to  the  water  table  and  21/2  after 
wards  to  the  plate,  the  roof  to  be  fram'd  according  to  a  Scheme  now 
before  us,  the  Isle  to  be  6  foot  wide  Lay'd  with  white  Bristol  Stone, 
galerey  at  the  west  end  as  long  as  the  peer  will  admitt  a  window 
in  the  same  as  big  as  the  pitch  will  admit.  7  -windows  in  the  body 
of  the  Church  of  Suitable  dimensions  glaz'd  with  sash  glass  the 
floors  to  be  well  lay'd  with  good  Inch  &  V4,  plank  the  Pews  to 
be  fram'd  the  fronts  rais'd  pannil  &  %  round  with  a  decent  pulpit 
and  type  a  decent  rail  and  Ballistor  round  the  altar  place  and  a 
table  suitable  thereto  as  usual,  the  roof  to  be  first  cover'd  with 
plank  and  shingled  on  that  with  good  Cypress  Hart  Shingles  Cor- 
nice Eves  large  board  eves  and  Suitable  doors  as  usual  the  whole 
to  be  done  strong  and  workmanlike  in  the  best  plain  manner  to 
be  finished  by  the  last  of  July  17  37.  Stone  Steps  to  each  door 
Suitable. 

Colo  Thomas  Ravenscroft  has  agreed  to  build  the  above  Churcn 
for  £485  Curr't  Money  to  be  paid  at  three  Several  payments." 

Col.  Ravenscroft  must  have  kept  his  agreement  to  the  letter 
for  it  appears  from  the  parish  records  that  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry 
took  place  at  the  "Brick  Church  on  Well's  Hill"  August  13th,  1737. 
This  is  the  building  locally  known  today  as  Old  Blandford  Church. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  new  church,  the  Ferry  Chapel  was 
abandoned.  No  further  reference  to  it  is  to  be  found  in  the  Vestry 
Book.  The  parish  still  had  but  two  places  of  worship,  the  Brick 
Church  on  Well's  Hill,  and  Sapponey  Chapel.  But  the  number  of  tith- 
ables  in  the  parish  continuing  to  increase,  it  was  found  necessary  to 
put   u]i   too   more  chapels,   the  one,  for  the  convenience   of  the  in- 


79 

habitants  in  the  lower  part  of  the  parish,  on  Jones"  Hole  Creek,  the 
other  on  Hatcher's  Run. 

In  the  meanwhile,  during  the  year  1739,  or  early  in  1740,  the 
Rev.  George  Robertson,  who  had  been  minister  of  the  parish  since 
169  4,  died,  and  the  Vestry  proceeded  to  take  steps  to  secure  another 
minister.  Their  first  choice  was  an  unfortunate  one,  as  the  records 
sufficiently  show.     We  will  let  them  speak  for  themselves. 

"At  a  Vestry  held  at  the  Brick  Church  on  Wells's  Hill  May  26th,  1740. 

Present.  Colo  Robert  Boiling,  Capt  Wm.  Stark,  Capt  Peter  Jones, 
Mr.  John  Banister,  Majr  Wm.  Poythress,  Capt  Willm  Hamlin,  Mr. 
Theo.  Feild,  Mr  Theok  Bland,  Capt  Charles  Fisher. 

Order'd  That  Mr.  Richard  Heartswel  be  received  Minister  of  this 
Parish  dureing  the  approbation  of  the  Vestry  he  haveing  agreed  to 
accept  thereof  on  these  terms." 

"At  a  Vestry  held  at  the  Brick  Church  on  Wells's  Hill  May  27th 
1740. 

Present.  Colo  Robert  Boiling,  Capt  Wm  Stark,  Mr.  Theo.  Feild, 
Capt.  Charles  Fisher,  Majr  Wm.  Poythress,  Mr.  Theok  Bland,  Capt 
Peter  Jones. 

Mr.  Richard  Heartswel  haveing  in  company  with  Several  of  tne 
Vestry  yesterday  Evening  declared  that  he  did  not  understand  the 
order  of  Vestry  that  day  made  for  receiving  him  as  Minister  of  this 
Parish  on  the  Terms  therein  mentioned  altho  entered  in  his  pres- 
ence &  with  his  approbation  &  now  insisting  on  T^venty  Pounds  p 
Ann  in  lieu  of  a  Glebe  which  he  with  son^.e  warmth,  said  he  thought 
he  merrited;  &  without  such  Allowance  would  not  stay,  thereupon 
the  Church  wardens  conviend  this  Vestry  who  upon  the  representa- 
tion of  the  matter  by  several  of  their  own  Members,  Orders  that 
the  said  Richard  Heartswel  be  discharged  as  Minister  of  this  Paris.i 
on  the  Terms  by  him  &  the  Vestry  agreed  to  on  the  26th  Instant  or 
on  any  other  whatsoever. 

Test  John  Woobank  Clk  Vestry" 

In  this  connection  the  following  extract  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev. 
James  Blair,  Commissary,  at  Williamsburg,  to  the  Bishop  of  London, 
dated  May  29,  1740,  will  be  of  interest:  "There  is  a  clergyman,  one  Mr. 
Richard  Hartwol  came  into  this  country  from  Liverpool  about  a  year 
ago,  only  in  Deacon's  orders.  He  was  ordained  by  Joseph, 
Bishop     of     Rochester,     Sept.     21,     1735.      He    brought    no    letters    of 


80 

recommendation,  and  came  very  unprovided  of  Ijooks  or  any- 
thing else.  The  Governor  befriending  him,  he  preached  in 
several  churches,  &  has  a  taking  way  of  delivery,  but  no 
parish  seems  desirous  to  have  him  for  a  minister  chiefly 
because  he  is  not  capable  of  administering  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  which  they  are  very  pressing  for,  especially  on 
their  death-beds.  The  Governor  has  very  lately  recommended  him 
to  some  gentlemen  of  that  parish  which  was  Mr.  Robertson's,  and 
he  is  gone  thither,  but  as  I  hear,  meets  with  great  opposition.  I 
want  your  Lordship's  directions  about  him  for  I  am  somewhat 
diffident  of  his  character  in  England,  by  reason  of  his  coming  away 
so  suddenly  and  abruptly,  and  that  he  has  been  so  long  since  he 
was  Deacon  without  receiving  Priest's  orders,  and  seems  averse  to 
repairing  to  England  for  compleat  orders."  (Perry's  "Papers  Re- 
lating to  the  History  of  the  Church  in  Virginia  1650-1776"  pp. 
862-3.) 

That  is  the  last  word  that  history  has  to  say  of  the  Rev.  Richard 
Heartswel  in  connection  with  Bristol  Parish.  The  Vestry  finally 
secured  the  servicers  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Fergusson,  who  remainea 
minister  of  the  parish  until  his  death  in  17  49. 

In  the  year  1742  Bristol  Parish  was  divided  (Heningo  "Stat- 
utes at  Large,"  Vol.  V.,  p.  212).  At  the  time  of  the  division  there 
were  1,668  tithables  in  the  parish.  With  the  formation  of  the  new 
parish  (Bath)  Bristol  parish  lost  897  tithables  and  two  out  of  the 
four  churches.  The  Brick  Church  and  the  chapel  on  Jones  Hole 
Creek  remained  to  Bristol.  Sapponey  and  Hatcher's  Run  Chapels 
went  to  Bath  parish.  Out  of  this  division  and  the  expenses  in- 
cident thereto  arose  a  dispute  between  the  two  parishes  which  lasted 
until   1745. 

In  March,  1750,  Rev.  Eleazer  Robertson  was  appointed  minister 
of  the  parish  "for  Twelve  Months  on  Tryal"  as  the  Vestry  Book 
expresses  it.  Evidently  his  "Tryal"  proved  satisfactory  to  all  par- 
ties, for  at  the  Vestry  meeting  in  March,  1751,  he  was  regularly  re- 
ceived as  minister  of  the  parish. 

Either  the  eloquence  of  Mr.  Robertson's  discourses  or  the  natu- 
ral growth  of  the  parish— there  were  now  1081  tythables — was 
responsible  for  the  following  order  of  the  Vestry  made  June  22nd, 
1752:  "That  an  Addition  be  made  on  the  South  Side  the  Brick 
Church,   Thirty   feet   by   Twenty   five   in    the   Clear   and    fifteen    feet 


81 

from  the  Spring  of  the  Arch  to  the  Floor  which  is  to  be  the  same 
height  with  the  present  Church  three  Bricks  thick  to  the  Water 
Table  and  two  and  a  half  thick  to  the  plate,  the  Roofe  to  be  Framed 
as  the  present  Roofe,  the  Isle  Six  Feet  wide  laid  with  white  Bristol 
Stone.  Two  windows  of  the  Same  dimentions  as  the  present  on 
Each  Side  of  the  Addition,  and  Glazed  with  Sash  Glass,  the  Floor 
to  be  laid  with  Inch  and  Quarter  heart  plank,  the  pews  to  be  Framed 
as  those  now  in  the  Church,  the  Roofe  to  be  first  Covered  with  plank 
and  Shingled  on  that  with  Good  Cypress  heart  Shingles,  a  Cornisn 
the  Same  as  the  present.  Square  Ceiling,  a  Door  in  the  South  End  of 
the  Addition,  the  present  South  Door  to  be  shut  up,  and  another 
Window  and  a  pew  Added  in  its  place.  The  whole  to  be  done 
Strong,  and  workmanlike  in  the  Best  plain  manner,  to  be  finished 
by  the  First  day  of  July  1754.  Also  the  Church  to  be  walled  in 
with  a  Brick  Wall  of  one  and  a  half  Brick  thick  Five  Foot  from  the 
highest  part  of  the  Ground  to  the  Top  of  the  Copeing,  Length  from 
East  to  West  One  hundred  and  Sixty  Feet,  from  North  to  South 
One  hundred  and  Forty  Feet  in  the  Clear,  One  Gate  at  the  West 
End  and  One  on  the  South  Side  the  Church  and  the  Church  War- 
dens are  to  give  publick  Notice  when  it  is  to  be  Let."  In  November 
of  the  same  year  the  Vestry  ordered  "that  the  Addition  to  the 
Church  be  built  on  the  North  side  thereof.  This  day  being  the  day 
Advertized  in  the  Virginia  Gazette  for  Letting  the  Addition  to  the 
Church,  and  Walling  it  in,  Collo  Ricnard  Bland  being  the  Lowest 
Bidder  agrees  to  do  it  for  four  hundred  pounds  Current  money." 
Originally  the  church  had  been  a  simple  rectangular  building,  sixty 
feet  by  twenty-five  facing  east  and  west.  The  addition  above  re- 
ferred to  made  a  radical  change  in  its  appearance.  Its  form  was 
now  that  of  a  squat  T  shaped  cross.  From  the  completion  of  this 
addition — it  was  not  finished  until  the  year  1764 — until  the  aban- 
donment of  the  building  the  Brick  Church  remained  practically 
unaltered. 

The  Rev.  Eleazer  Robertson  left  Bristol  parish  in  17  53.  It  was 
during  the  incumbency  of  his  successor  Rev  Thomas  Wilkinson,  that 
the  matter  of  a  poor-house  for  the  three  parishes  of  Bristol,  Mar- 
tins Brandon,  and  Bath  began  to  be  agitated.  The  first  action  in 
regard  to  this  business  was  taken  at  a  Vestry  meeting  held  No- 
vember 27th.  1755.  It  culminated  in  December  of  the  year  fol- 
lowing in  the  appointment     of     a     committee,   consisting  of     Messrs. 


82 

Stephen  Dewey,  Alexander  Boiling,  Theoderick  Bland,  and  William 
Eaton,  to  "meet  the  persons  appointed  by  the  Vestry's  of  Brandon 
&  Bath  Parishes  to  agree  in  settleing  the  Terms  of  the  Poors  House." 
The  result  of  the  conference  held  by  the  representatives  of  the 
three  parishes  was  embodied  in  the  following  report  taken  from  the 
record  of  the  minutes  of  the  vestry  meeting  held  at  the  Brick  Church 
February  23rd,  1757: 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  members  appointed  by  the  Respective 
Parishes  of  Bristol,  Martins  brandon  and  Bath  as  a  Committee  to 
Consider  of  the  best  and  most  proper  method  for  Building  a  Poors 
House  at  the  Joint  Bxpence  of  the  said  Parishes — 

It  is  the  opinion  of  this  Committee  that  a  Convenient  House 
ought  to  be  Rented  for  Entertaining  the  poor  of  the  said  Parishes, 
if  to  be  had.  But  if  not,  that  then  Land  ought  to  be  bought  &  Con- 
venient Houses  to  be  built  for  the  joint  use  of  the  said  Parishes 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  Tithables  in  each  of  the  said  Parishes. 
This  Committee  having  taken  under  their  most  serious  Considera- 
tion the  unhappy  and  indeed  miserable  Circumstances  of  the  many 
poor  Orphans  and  other  poor  Children,  Inhabitants  of  the  said 
Parishes  whose  parents  are  utterly  unable  to  give  them  any  Edu- 
cation and  being  desirous  to  render  the  said  House  as  Beneficial  as 
possable  &  that  such  poor  Children  should  be  brought  up  in  a  Re- 
ligious, Virtuous  &  Industrious  Course  of  Life  so  as  to  become 
useful  members  of  the  Community,  Have  Resolved  earnestly  to  rec- 
ommend it  to  their  Respective  Vestries  that  they  should  join  in  a 
petition  to  the  General  Assembly  to  procure  an  Act  to  enable  the 
said  Parishes  to  erect  a  FREE  SCHOOL  for  Educating  the  poor 
Children  of  the  said  Parishes  in  Reading,  Writing  and  Arithmetic 
at  the  joint  Expence  of  the  said  Parishes,  and  Uniting  the  same  to 
the  said  Poorshouse  Under  such  Rules,  Orders  and  Directions  as 
shall  be  most  just  and  proper  for  perfecting  so  useful  and  Chari- 
table a  Work,  And  in  Order  to  facilitate  the  obtaining  such  Act  to 
propose  that  the  said  Vestries  should  unite  in  opening  Subscriptions 
that  the  Rich  &  Opulent  &  all  other  well  disposed  people  may  have 
an  opportunity  of  Contributing  towards  so  pious  a  design  out  of  that 
STORE  which  the  FATHER  of  Bounties  hath  bestowed  on  them. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  this  Committee  that  Four  of  the  Members  of 
each  of  the  said  Vestries  ought  to  be  appointed  as  a  Committee  to 
Petition    the   General   Assembly  in   the   name   and   on   behalf  of  the 


83 

said  Vestries  in  Order  to  obtain  such  Act  as  aforesaid  And  also  to 

put  the  said  resolutions  into  Execution. 

It   is   the    opinion     of     this    Committee   that    these   Resolutions    be 

Communicated    to   the   respective   Vestries   as   soon    as   possable   for 

approbation   or  Descent. 

Signed  According  to  the  Directions  of  the  Committee  By 

Jany    19th,    1757.  RICHARD    BLAND." 

In  spite  of  this  very  excellent  report  nothing  seems  to  have  come 
of  the  Poor-house  plan.  At  the  Vestry  meeting  held  November  15th, 
1757,  it  was  ordered  "That  the  Churchwardens  at  the  most  Conve- 
nient place  put  up  the  poor  of  this  Parish  to  the  lowest  Bidder." 

If  the  Vestry  of  Bristol  Parish  proved  incompetent  to  influence  leg- 
islation in  the  matter  of  providing  for  the  poor,  they  showed  a  very 
commendable  and  fairly  successful  zeal  in  the  suppression  of  vice. 
The  credit  side  of  tne  parish's  yearly  balance  sheet  exhibits  frequent 
entries  like  the  following: 
"By  Richd  Harrison  &  Rd  Harrison  Junr  and  Peter  Aldridge  for 

profane   swearing   5/Each    15. 

"By  mary  Jones  fine  for  a  bastard  child  pd  by  Nat  Rains £2:10. 

"By  a  fine  from  Tho.  Whitmour  for  Profaning  the  Sabbath  Day.  5. 

"By  Henry  Delony  Gaming  fine £5 : 

"By  Cash  Reed  of  Richd  Booker  A  fine  of  Some  Person  Sold  Oats 

by  false  measure  at  ye  Bridge £1 : " 

That  the  vestry  was  disposed  to  class  non-church  going  among  the 
vices  to  be  rooted  out  appears  from  the  following  credit  entry  in  the 
balance-sheet  for  the  year  1754; 

"By  3  fines  for  not  going  to  Church 15/" 

As  Thomas  Whitmour's  fine  for  Profaning  the  Sabbath  Day  was  5 
shillings,  it  is  probable  thaat  the  profanation  of  which  he  was  found 
guilty  was  that  of  absenting  himself  from  divine  service. 

On  November  22d,  1762,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkerson  resigned  the 
parish.  The  same  day  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  William  Harrison. 
The  first  twelve  years  or  so  of  Mr.  Harrison's  incumbency  seem  to 
have  been  uneventful  enough;  then  came  the  troublous  times  of  the 
war  with  England.  Under  date  of  October  19th,  1775,  occurs  the  fol- 
lowing entry  in  the  vestry  book: 

"Whereas,  The  callamitous  State  of  the  Country  renders  it  Doubtful] 


whether  a  Sufficient  Sum  Can  be  Collected  from  the  people,  for  pay- 
ment of  the  Paiuchial  Debt,  in  Money.  And  by  the  Restrained  Laid 
on  Exports,  By  publick  Consent,  The  Parishoners  are  Precluded  of  the 
Election  which  the  Law  Had  Giveing  them,  in  paying  their  Due's  in 
Tobo  or  Money.  It  is  Determined  by  Vestry  That  the  Ministers  Sal- 
ary Shall  be  Estimated  at  One  Hundred  And  Forty  four  Pound's,  to 
be  Collected  as  Nearly  as  Possible  in  Money  Unless  the  prohibition  on 
Exports  Should  be  Removed,  And  in  that  Case  the  People  to  be  at 
Liberty  to  pay  in  Tobo  at  Eighteen  Shillings  Per  Hundred,  In  Lieu 
of  Money,  According  to  there  Own  Choice.  And  it's  further  to  be  Un- 
derstood that  the  Revd  Mr.  Harrison  shall  wait  for  the  Ballance,  After 
the  Collection  is  made,  three  Years  without  Interest,  unless  it  should 
Please  HEAVEN  to  Put  an  End  before  that  time.  To  the  Troubles  of 
our  Country,  And  then  it  is  understood  that  the  Encumben  [t's]  Sal- 
ary shall  be  Demandable  in  the  usual  and  'accustomed  way.'  " 

Poor  Mr.  Harrison!  One  is  hardly  surprised  at  finding  the  follow- 
ing entered  on  the  minutes  of  a  vestry  meeting  held  February  4,  1780: 
"This  day  the  Late  Recter,  the  Revd.  Mr.  Harrison,  wrote  in  his  Resig- 
nation of  his  Cure  of  this  Parish,  which  is  accepted." 

After  lying  vacant  four  years  the  parish  secured  the  services  of  the 
Rev.  John  Cameron.  He  is  the  last  minister  of  the  parish  of  which 
the  vestry  book  speaks,  as  he  was  still  living  and  serving  the  parish 
in  the  capacity  of  rector  when  the  closing  entry  of  the  volume  was 
written.  This  was  on  April  18,  1789.  Dr.  Cameron  resigned  his 
charge  in  1793,  and  was  succeeded  the  next  year  by  the  Rev.  Andrew 
Syme,  who  served  Bristol  parish  faithfully  for  forty-five  years. 

He  was  the  last  rector  of  the  parish  that  regularly  held  services  and 
preached  in  the  Brick  church,  on  Well's  Hill.  "With  him,  then,  the 
references  in  this  article  to  the  history  of  the  parish,  as  such,  may  well 
end. 

What  remains  of  the  history  of  the  old  church  is  soon  told.  After 
the  Revolution  the  town  of  Blandford,  which  lies  between  Wells's  Hill 
and  the  river,  rapidly  declined  in  importance  as  a  tobacco  port,  while 
the  new  town  of  Petersburg,  to  the  west,  grew  steadily.  Between  the 
years  1802  and  1808  the  new  St  Paul's  church,  Petersburg,  was  built. 
This  sealed  the  fate  of  the  old  Brick  church,  on  Wells's  Hill,  though 
for  awhile  services  were  still  held  within  its  walls  alternately  with  the 
church   in   Petersburg  and   the  outward   church.     Finally   the  services 


■    --  85 

at  the  Brick  church  were  discontinued  absolutely,  and  the  old  building 
was  left  alone  in  its  glory.  Thus  abandoned,  it  gradually  fell  into 
ruins.  Writing  in  1879,  a  short  while  before  the  Brick  church  under- 
went its  first  "restoration,"  Dr.  Slaughter  says,  quoting  in  part  Charles 
Campbell:  "  'Blandford  is  chiefly  remarkable  for  the  melancholy  charm 
of  a  moss-velveted  and  ivy-embroidered,  ante-Revolutionary  church, 
(whose  yard  is  the  Petersburg  cemetery),  at  present  in  the  most  pic- 
turesque place  of  dilapidation.'  And  we  add  that  it  is  the  pride  of 
Petersburg,  and  the  most  attractive  of  all  her  historical  surroundings. 
The  pilgrim  and  the  stranger  who  tarry  but  a  night  is  sure  to  wend  his 
way  and  pay  his  homage  at  this  shrine.  Time,  too,  in  its  revolvings, 
'brings  in  other  revenges.'  The  children,  and  the  children's  children, 
of  the  scattered  worshippers  who  were  baptized  at  this  font  or  knelt 
at  this  shrine,  when  they  have  finished  their  course  on  earth,  are  borne 
back  in  solemn  procession  and  laid  in  the  bosom  of  old  Mother  Church, 
which  invests  her  with  a  charm,  in  the  eyes  and  liearts  of  the  whole 
community." 

A  few  years  after  the  above  was  written  it  was  found  necessary,  in 
order  to  preserve  the  ruins  from  utter  destruction,  to  have  the  building 
re-roofed.  The  writer  thinks  that  he  is  not  mistaken  in  saying  that 
this  work  was  undertaken  and  paid  for  by  the  city  of  Petersburg.  How- 
ever much  to  be  regretted,  inasmuch  as  the  new  slate  roof  has  given 
a  rather  incongruous  air  of  smartness  to  the  venerable  building,  these 
repairs  done  by  the  city  were  unavoidable. 

Not  so,  however,  the  recent  "restoration"  of  Old  Blandford,  through 
the  efforts  of  the  Ladies'  Memorial  Association,  aided — one  is  tempted 
to  say  also,  and  abetted — by  the  Petersburg  chapter  of  the  Daughters 
of  the  Confederacy,  by  which  this  relic  of  the  Colonial  period  has  been 
converted  into  a  Confederate  memorial  chapel.  A  monument  of  the 
early  eighteenth  century  converted  into  a  memorial  of  the  events  of 
1861-'65 — could  no  better  way  than  this  have  been  found  to  honor  the 
Southern  cause?  It  is  always  so,  however.  The  past  is  ever  being  for- 
gotten in  the  interests  of  the  present,  and  history  shows  many  such 
glaring  instances  of  robbing  Peter  to  pay  Paul.  But  the  day  will  come 
when  the  intelligent  people  of  Petersburg  will  regret  having  allowed 
this  piece  of  utter  vandalism  to  be  perpetrated. 

A  visit  to  Blandford  church  recalls  many  memories  of  the  historic 
past.  Here  preached  in  days  long  gone  by  the  ministers  whose  names 
have  already  been  given;   the  Robertsons — George  and  Eleazar — Robert 


86 

Fergasson,  Thomas  Wilkerson,  William  Harrison,  John  Cameron  and 
Andrew  Syme.  Occasionally,  too,  the  walls  of  the  old  church  rang 
with  the  voice  of  some  famous  divine  like  William  Stith,  the  Virginia 
historian;  Devereaux  Jarratt,  the  stirring  preacher  of  Bath  parish,  or 
George  Whitfield,  the  great  English  evangelist.  As  one  wanders  about 
among  the  tombstones  outside,  stopping  from  time  to  time  to  decipher 
some  half-obliterated  inscription,  the  ancient  glory  of  the  church  is 
brought  vividly  to  the  mind.  Here  worshipped  with  their  families,  in 
that  to  us  dim  pre-Revolutionary  time,  James  Munford,  William  Poy- 
thress,  Robert  Boiling,  Peter  Jones,  William  Stark,  Theophilus  Field, 
Charles  Fisher,  Francis  Foythress,  William  Hamlin,  Theoderick  Bland, 
David  Walker,  Thomas  Short,  Stephen  Dewey,  William  Epes,  Georre 
Smith,  Samuel  Gordon,  James  Murray,  Hugh  Miller,  James  Boisseau, 
Alexander  Boiling,  Anthony  Walke,  Thomas  Williams,  William  Eaton, 
Roger  Atkinson,  George  Nicholas,  Sir  William  Skipwith,  John  Ruffin, 
John  Bannister,  Theoderick  Bland,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Raines,  Nathaniel 
Harrison,  William  Call,  Richard  Taylor,  Thomas  and  Joseph  Jones  and 
many  others — truly  an  array  of  worthy  names  of  which  any  Church 
might  well  be  proud. 

From  the  churchyard  one  sees  about  two  miles  off  to  the  north  the 
hills  on  the  Chesterfield  side  of  the  river,  from  which  Lafayette,  in  1781, 
standing  by  his  guns,  must  have  watched  the  bombardment  of  the  Brit- 
ish in  Petersburg — that  bombardment  that  is  said  to  have  disturbed 
the  last  hours  of  the  English  General  Phillips,  as  he  lay  dying  in  the 
house  on  East  Hill.  Tradition  has  it  that  the  dead  general  was  laid  to 
rest  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Blandford  churchyard. 

Less  than  a  mile  away  to  the  east  and  south  are  the  remnants  of 
the  earthworks  held  by  the  Confederate  forces  during  the  memorable 
siege  of  Petersburg,  which  lasted  from  the  9th  of  June,  1864,  to  the  2d 
of  April,  1865.  The  fighting  was  at  times  so  near  the  church  that 
the  building-  itself  and  the  surrounding  tombstones  did  not  escape  en- 
tirely the  rain  of  shot  and  shell  directed  against  the  town  and  its  de- 
fenders. To  this  day  bullets  are  not  infrequently  found  in  the  ceme- 
tery, and,  indeed,  close  up  to  the  old  churchyard  wall. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  in  closing,  that  Blandford  church,  so 
rich  in  associations  that  appeal  to  cultivated  minds,  possesses  a  litera- 
ture of  its  own,  the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  thoughts  and  emotions 
which  it  has  itself  inspired.  One  can  do  no  more  here  than  refer  the 
reader  to  Dr.  Slaughter's  valuable  "History  of  Bristol  Parish."  where 
the  greater  part  of  what  is  best  in  that  literature  may  be  found. 


:«>.t- 


ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH,  RICHMOND.  VIRGINIA. 

BY    KEV.    K.    A.    GOODWIN,    RECTOR. 

>ENRICO  Parish  was  formed  in  A.  D.  1611,  only  four  years  after 
the  settlement  of  Jamestown.  Sir  Thomas  Dale  in  that  year 
founded  Henricopolis,  on  the  Peninsula,  in  James  River,  now 
insulated  by  Dutch  Gap  canal.  Here  he  built  a  church  before 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  own  residence.  Not  long  after  a  more 
handsome  brick  church  was  built.  It  stood  near  the  line  of  the  present 
Dutch  Gap  canal.  The  parish  at  first  included  what  are  now  the 
counties  of  Chesterfield  and  Powhatan,  on  the  south  of  James  River, 
and  Goochland  and   Henrico,  on  the  north  of  the  river. 

Rev.  Alexander  Whittaker,  called  "the  Apostle  of  Virginia,"  was  the 
first  rector  of  Henrico  Parish.  He  was  the  son  of  Dr.  William  Whit- 
taker, master  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge.  Alexander  Whittaker 
was  a  graduate  of  Cambridge.  For  some  years  he  served  a  church 
in  the  north  of  England,  "beloved  and  well  supported  by  his  people." 
"He  had  a  handsome  heritage  from  his  parents."  He  came  to  Virginia 
under  the  infiuence  of  the  highest  missionary  spirit.  His  friends  op- 
posed his  coming.  A  contemporary  says  of  him:  "He  did  voluntarily 
leave  his  warme  nest;  and  to  the  wonder  of  his  kindred  and  amaze- 
ment of  them  that  knew  him,  undertook  this  hard,  but,  in  my  judg- 
ment, heroicall  resolution  to  go  to  Virginia,  and  helpe  to  beare  the 
name  of  God  unto  the  Gentiles." 

He  is  spoken  of  as  the  "purest  of  men,"  "truly  pious,"  and  "most 
zealous  in  missionary  work,  especially  among  the  Indians,  to  which 
he  had  devoted  himself."  He  and  Dale  were  co-workers  for  the  con- 
version of  Pocahontas.  He  baptized  her  under  the  name  of  Rebecca. 
It  is  highly  probable  that  he  married  her  to  John  Rolfe.  Rolfe  owned 
a  plantation  at  Henricopolis,  and  here  they  lived  till  she  went  to 
England.  Whittaker  resisted  the  temptation  to  return  to  England 
in  1616  with  his  devoted  friend.  Dale.  But  he  wrote,  exhorting  others 
to  come  over  and  help,  and  saying:  "Though  my  promise  of  three 
yeeres'  service  to  my  countrey  be  expired,  will  abide  in  my  vocation 
here  untill  I  be  lawfully  called  hence." 

He  was  accidentally  drowned  in  James  River  in  the  spring  of  1617. 


The  Glebe  of  the  parish,  consisting  of  100  acres,  on  which  Dale  built 
a  rectory,  was  situated  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  Whittaker  also 
served  a  church  at  Bermuda  Hundred,  near  City  Point.  Some  years 
later  the  Glebe  was  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  near  Varina.  Mr. 
William  Wickham  assisted  Mr.  Whittaker,  and  it  would  seem  he  was 
only  in  deacon's  orders,  for,  after  Whittaker's  death,  there  was  no 
one  to  administer   the  sacraments. 

Rev.  Thomas  Bargrave  became  rector  in  1<;19.  It  was  during  his 
administration  that  the  parish  of  Henrico  was  chosen  as  Ihe  site  of  a 
great  university;  15,000  acres  of  land,  between  Henricopolis  and 
where  Richmond  now  stands,  was  set  apart  as  college  lands  by  the 
Virginia  Company.  King  James,  through  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, appealed  for  and  obtained  large  subscriptions  in  England.  Rev. 
Mr.  Bargrave,  the  rector,  donated  his  library.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Copland 
was  appointed  president,  but  he  was  still  in  England  when  the  great 
Indian  massacre  of  1622  swept  away  Henricopolis  and  many  other 
settlements. 

For  the  next  hundred  years  the  annals  of  Henrico  Parish  are  frag- 
mentary. 

The  Rev.  James  Blair  was  rector  from  1685  to  1694.  In  1689  he 
was  appointed  commissary  of  the  Bishop  of  London.  He  resigned 
the  parish  to  become  founder  and  first  president  of  AVilliam  and  ]\Iary 
College. 

Rev.  George  Robinson  is  said  to  have  been  rector  in  1695.  In  1724 
the  Bishop  of  London  called  upon  the  clergy  of  the  colony  for  a 
report.  "The  name  of  the  incumbent  of  Henrico  Parish  has  been 
torn  from  the  manuscript  of  his  report,"  but  there  is  evidence  that 
he  was  Rev.  Jacob  Ware.  He  mentions  that  he  had  been  in  the  parish 
fourteen  years.  Its  bounds  were  18  by  25  miles.  It  contained  two 
churches  and  one  chapel.     There  were  400  families. 

The  oldest  extant  record  book  of  the  vestry  of  the  parish  begins  on 
October  28th,  1730.  This  book  was  found  in  1867  among  the  old 
records  of  Henrico  county,  and  was  given  to  the  vestry.  When  this 
book  was  begun  the  principal  church  of  the  Parish  was  Curie's  church, 
situated  a  few  miles  below  Richmond,  on  the  north  side  of  the  river. 
The  Rev.  James  Keith  was  rector  when  this  vestry  book  begins,  and 
continued  his  services  till   1733. 

In  1727  Goochland  and  Powhatan  were  cut  off  from  Henrico;  and 
Dale    Parish,    in    Chesterfield,    was    established    in    1735.     In    1735    the 


vestry  arranged  with  Rev.  David  Mossom  to  preach  at  the  church 
every  fifth  Sunday,  for  which  service  he  was  to  be  allowed  400  pounds 
of  tobacco. 

Mr.  Mossom  was  rector  of  St.  Peter's,  New  Kent,  for  40  years.  He 
married  General  Washington;  and  he  was  the  first  native  American 
to  be  ordained  a  Presbyter  in  the  Church  of  England.  In  1736  Rev. 
William  Stith  became  rector  of  the  parish.  He  was  a  native  Vir- 
ginian, educated  at  William  and  Mary  College  and  in  England.  While 
rector  of  this  parish,  he  wrote  his  history  of  Virginia.  It  was  during 
his   ministry   that  St.   John's  church  was  built. 

There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  where  the  new  church  should 
be  located.  It  was  finally  decided  that  it  be  built  "on  Indian  Town, 
at  Richmond."  The  two  lots  given  by  Colonel  William  Byrd,  "the 
father  of  Richmond,"  constitute  half  of  the  present  St.  John's  burying- 
ground. 

St.  John's  church  was  built  in  1741.  The  original  building  was  60 
feet  long  and  25  feet  wide,  situated  due  east  and  west.  In  1772  an  ad- 
dition was  made  on  the  south  side,  of  40  feet  in  length  and  40  feet 
in  width.  The  Rev.  Miles  Selden  was  rector  when  the  Virginia  Con- 
vention met  in  the  church,  thus  enlarged,  on  March  20th,  1775.  He  was 
chaplain  of  the  convention.     Edmund  Pendleton  was  the  president. 

(It  will  be  recalled  that  "the  first  General  Assembly,  the  earliest 
legislative  body  in  America,  sat  in  the  church  at  Jamestown,  on  July 
30th,  1619.") 

Here,  in  a  short  speech,  Patrick  Henry  "flashed  the  electric  spark" 
which  fired  the  colony  to  rebel  against  the  king. 

"In  1781,  when  Richmond  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Arnold, 
this   sacred  edifice   was   made  a  barracks   for  his   British   soldiery." 

The  first  record  in  the  second  vestry-book  is  of  an  election  of  twelve 
vestrymen,  "holden  on  March  28th,  1785,  at  the  court-house  in  the  city 
of  Richmond."  Their  names  were:  Edmund  Randolph,  Jaquelin  Ambler, 
Bowler  Cocke,  Miles  Selden,  Jr.,  William  Foushee,  Hobson  Owen,  John 
Ellis,  Turner  Southall,  Nathaniel  Wilkinson,  Daniel  L.  Hylton,  Thomas 
Prosser,  William  Burton. 

"On  the  10th  of  May,  1785,  the  Rev.  John  Buchanan  was  unani- 
mously chosen  by  ballot  incumbent  for  the  parish.  He  was  to  preach 
every  other  Sunday  at  'Richmond  church,'  and  on  the  intervening 
Sunday  at  Curie's  and  Deep  Run,  alternately." 

On  the  15th  of  June,   1785,  the  first  convention  of  the    reorganized 


90 

Diocese  of  Virginia  was  held  in  Richmond.  The  business  sessions  were 
probably  held  in  the  Capitol,  but  the  convention  attended  divine  ser- 
vice in  "the  church  in  this  city"  by  resolution  of  the  convention.  "It 
was  a  correspondence  between  the  Rev.  David  Griffith  and  Rev.  John 
Buchanan,  the  rector  of  this  parish,  that  led  to  the  resuscitation  of 
the  Church  In  Virginia." 

Mr.  Buchanan  was  prominent  in  this  first  convention  of  the  Diocese. 
He  was  elected  Treasurer  of  the  Diocese,  and  faithfully  served  as 
such  for  nearly  thirty  years. 

Edmund  Randolph  was  lay  delegate  of  this  parish.  He  was  on  a 
committee  "to  prepare  an  address  to  the  members  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  of  Virginia,  representing  the  condition  of  the  Church, 
and  exhorting  them  to  unite  in  its  support." 

Mr.  Randolph  also  reported  for  a  committee,  declaring  the  willing- 
ness of  the  Virginia  Convention  "to  unite  in  a  general  ecclesiastical 
convention  with  the  members  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church." 

Edmund  Randolph  was  afterwards  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  Attor- 
ney-General and  Secretary  of  State  in  Washington's  Cabinet 

Mr.  Buchanan's  rectorship  extended  from  1785  to  1822.  The  most 
fraternal  relations  existed  between  him  and  the  Presbyterian  minister. 
Rev.  John  D.  Blair.  For  a  time  there  were  alternating  services  with 
the  Presbyterians  in  the  church.  In  1790  the  vestry  gave  permission 
to  any  regular  minister  of  any  Christian  denomination  to  use  the  coun- 
try churches  of  the  parish,  when  not  used  by  Rev.  Mr.  Buchanan,  or 
any  other  minister  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

During  part  of  Mr.  Buchanan's  ministry  services  were  held  in  the 
Capitol,  as  being  more  convenient  to  most  of  the  congregation;  but 
the  church  was  used  "on  Christmas,  Easter  and  Whit  Sunday,  when 
the  Holy  Communion  was  administered  and  confirmations  were  held." 

This  faithful  and  much  beloved  pastor  died  in  1822,  mourned  by  the 
whole  community.  He  was  buried  beneath  the  chancel,  to  the  right 
of  the  communion  table. 

Rev.  William  H.  Hart,  who  had  been  Dr.  Buchanan's  assistant  for 
seven  years,  was  rector  for  the  next  six  years.  Under  his  ministry  the 
church  prospered.  Bishop  Moore  speaks  of  preaching  in  the  church 
to  large  congregations,  and  of  "the  present  prosperous  state  of  the 
church." 

Rev.  William  F.  Lee  w'as  the  next  rector.  To  him  we  probably  owe 
the  name  "St.  John's  Church."      The  building  had  had  many  names — 


91 

"The  New  Church,"  "The  Upper  Church,"  "The  Richmond  Church,"  "The 
Town  Church,"  "The  Church  on  Richmond  Hill,"  "Henrico  Church  on 
Richmond  Hill,"  "The  Church,"  "The  Old  Church,"  etc.  The  following 
entry  is  found  in  the  vestry-book  shortly  after  Mr.  Lee  became  rector: 
"At  a  meeting  of  the  vestry  of  Henrico  Parish,  at  the  lecture-room  of 
St.  John's  Church,  Richmond,  Saturday  evening,  April  25th,  1829,"  etc. 
In  the  convention  journal  of  that  year  this  church  is  entered  as 
St.  John's  Church,  Richmond,  Henrico  Parish. 

In  1830  the  church  was  enlarged  by  an  addition  to  the  nave.  The 
tower  was  probably  built  a  few  years  later.  The  church  passed  through 
many  vicissitudes  during  the  next  forty-fxve  years,  under  the  rectorship 
of  the  Revs.  Edward  W.  Peet,  1830;  Robert  B.  Croes,  1833;  William  H. 
Hart,  1836;  J.  H.  Morrison,  1843;  Henry  S.  Kepler,  1848;  J.  T.  Points, 
1859;  William  C.  Butler,  1860;  William  Norwood,  1862;  Henry  Wall, 
1868.  In  1875  Rev.  Alex.  W.  Weddell  became  rector.  During  his  min- 
istry the  church  was  repaired  and  made  more  comfortable.  By  his 
untiring  energy  and  zeal,  large  numbers  were  added  to  the  com- 
munion, and  the  church  again  took  rank  with  the  first  in  the  Diocese. 

Rev.  L.  W.  Burton,  now  Bishop  of  Lexington,  succeeded  Dr.  Weddell 
as  rector  in  1884.  The  church  continued  to  prosper,  and  its  member- 
ship was  largely  increased  during  his  earnest  and  faithful  rectorship 
of  nine  years.  During  his  ministry  Weddell  chapel  and  the  Chapel  of 
the  Good  Shepherd  were  built. 

Dr.  Burton  was  succeeded  in  1893  by  the  present  rector. 
The  old   mother  church,   including  Weddell   chapel,   has   the  largest 
communicant  list  in  the  Diocese.     St.  John's  is  the  successor  of  Curie's 
church,  and  that  church   succeeded  the  church  of  Whittaker  at  Hen- 
ricopolis. 

The  bowl  of  the  baptismal  font  of  St.  John's  is  a  precious  relic  from 
Curie's  church.  It  was  found  in  1826  in  the  cellar  of  a  house  some 
milei  from  the  church.  It  had  been  used  as  a  mortar  for  beating 
hominy.  Being  much  mutilated,  it  was  reduced  in  diameter,  but  the 
original  shape  was  preserved.  Dr.  John  Adams  piesented  it  to  the 
church. 

In  1905  a  commodious  chancel,  organ  chamber,  vestry-room  and  other 
improvements  were  built  on  the  south  side  of  the  old  part  of  church. 
The  church  is  now  cruciform,  and  points  directly  to  the  four  points 
of  the  compass.  Standing  in  the  middle  of  the  old  graveyard,  shaded 
by    magnificent    trees,    surrounded    by    the    busy    city,    the    old    church 


92 

stands  as  a  connecting  link  witli  the  earliest  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
history  of  our  Commonwealth  and  nation;  and  as  a  witness  to  what 
the  Church  of  England  and  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  have  done 
for  the  upbuilding  of  this  people  in  liberty,  brotherly  love  and  "the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints." 

The  Bishop  of  Southern  Virginia,  in  an  address  delivered  in  St. 
John's  church  on  its  150th  anniversary,  June  10th,  1891,  states  this  very 
remarkable  fact:  Speaking  of  Richard  Randolph,  who  superintended 
the  building  of  St.  John's  church  in  1741,  and  Edmund  Randolph,  who 
represented  the  church  in  the  first  convention  of  the  Diocese,  both 
of  them  vestrymen,  he  says:  "These  men  were  great  grandsons  of 
one  of  the  earliest  members  of  your  parish.  A  simple,  strong,  true 
man  he  must  have  been;  out  of  his  loins  sprang  three  great  men.  He 
was  the  ancestor  of  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  the  greatest  jurist  of 
America.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  the  greatest  po- 
litical thinker  of  America.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  Robert  E.  Lee, 
the  greatest  soldier  of  America." 

The  ancestor  of  these  three  men  lived  in  this  parish,  on  the  river, 
just  below  Richmond. 

The  writer  of  this  sketch  gratefully  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to 
Rt.  Rev.  L.  "W.  Burton,  D.  D.,  for  much  of  the  information  contained 
therein. 


CHRIST    CHURCH.   LANCASTER  COUNTY, 
VIRGINIA. 

BY    WILLIAM    G.    STANARD,    CORRESPONDING    SECRETARY    OF    THE    VIRGINIA 
HISTORICAL    SOCIETY. 

THE  most  perfect  example  of  Colonial   church  architecture  now 
remaining  in  Virginia  is  Christ  church,  Lancaster  county.     It 
is  now,  with  the  exception  of  some  minor  details,  almost  as  it 
came   from   the   hands   of   its   builders   in    1732.     Every   other 
church  in  the  State  has  suffered  more  or  less  alteration.     Even  beauti- 
ful old  Bruton  is  just  being  restored,   after  a  long  interval,   to   what 
Chrisi:  church  is  now  and  always  has  been. 

While  Christ  church  has  never  been  out  of  the  possession  of  thoKe 
of  the  faith  of  the  founders  of  the  parish,  the  congregation  was  for  a 
number  of  years  so  small  that  only  occasional  services  were  held  in  it. 
During  an  era  of  bad  taste,  and  a  lack  of  intelligent  interest  in  the 
past,  when  more  crowded  churches  were  altered,  ruthlessly  sometimes, 
to  meet  the  supposed  needs  of  the  worshippers,  there  was  not  only  no 
call  for  any  alteration  in  this  venerable  building,  but,  owing  to  econo- 
mic changes  and  the  building  of  other  churches  in  the  county,  it  was 
almost  abandoned. 

We  know  but  little  of  the  civil  or  religious  history  of  the  country  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Rappahannock  before  the  formation  of  Lancaster 
county  in  1C52.  By  an  act  of  Assembly  in  1641  the  settlement  of  that 
part  of  the  Colony  was  authorized  to  begin  during  the  following  year, 
and  when  the  county  records  commence  in  1652,  there  was  evidently 
a  considerable  population  along  the  rivers  and  inlets  thereabout. 

A  vestry  book,  beginning  in  1654,  was  once  in  existence  and  was 
seen  by  Bishop  Meade,  but  it  disappeared  during  his  life,  and  now  its 
contents  are  only  known  through  his  brief  extracts.  Fortunately  'fhe 
county  records  are  entire  from  1652,  and  if  carefully  examined  for 
the  purpose,  would  no  doubt  afford  much  more  information  as  regards 
the  Church  history  than  the  writer  has  had  time  to  gather  during 
visits  to  Lancaster  county. 

Before  a  parish  was  formed  there  was  doubtless  a  minister  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  the  community.     Rev.  Thos.  Sax,  "an  unworthy 


94 

servant  of  God"  (as  he  styles  himself  in  his  will),  who  died  in  1654, 
was  doubtless  this  first  minister.  He  was  probably  followed  by  John 
Gorsuch,  "Proffessor  in  Divinity."  Mr.  Gorsuch,  who  died  before  April 
1,  1657,  was  one  of  the  many  Cavaliers  who  fled  to  Virginia  during  the 
civil  wars  in  England.  He  had  been  rector  of  Walkholme,  Hertford- 
shire, and  married  a  sister  of  Richard  Lovelace,  the  poet.  Through  his 
descendants,  the  Todds  of  Gloucester  county,  he  has  had  many  staunch 
representatives  in  the  Church. 

At  the  formation  of  the  county,  in  1652,  it  included  both  sides  of  the 
Rappahannock  river  for  an  indefinite  distance  to  the  west,  and  contain- 
ed two  parishes,  known,  from  their  location,  as  North  Side  and  South 
Side.  The  court  records  have  an  entry  of  the  selection,  on  April  1, 
1652,  of  William  Clapham,  Jr.,  as  sidesman,  and  John  Taylor  and  Ed- 
mund Lum  as  wardens  for  North  Side.  In  1654  the  county  was  again 
divided  into  two  parishes;  but  in  a  different  manner.  The  Lower 
parish  contained  the  present  Lancaster  and  Middlesex,  and  the  Upper, 
the  present  Essex  and  Richmond. 

Meade  states  that  about  this  time  there  were  four  parishes  in  the 
county — Lancaster  and  Piankitank  on  the  south  side,  and  White 
Chapel  and  Christ  church  on  the  north.  The  history  of  these  little 
parishes  is  vague,  and  no  attempt  need  be  made  to  go  into  it  at 
all  thoroughly.  The  genesis  of  the  large  parish  from  several  small 
ones  is  a  familiar  feature  of  our  early  Church  history. 

The  division  of  1654  was  made  after  the  surrender  of  Virginia  to 
Parliament.  By  the  terms  of  the  surrender,  dated  March  12,  1651-2, 
the  use  of  the  Prayer  Book  was  permitted  for  one  year  longer,  with 
the  consent  of  the  major  part  of  the  parish,  provided  that  the  portions 
relating  to  the  King  and  the  royal  government  should  not  be  used 
publicly.  It  is  probable  that  the  latter  provision  was  observed,  but 
there  is  no  evidence  that,  otherwise,  the  public  use  of  the  regular  form 
of  worship  of  the  Church  of  England  was  ever  abandoned.  The  As- 
sembly could  not  (without  a  conflict  with  the  Parliamentary  authori- 
ties) uphold  the  King's  religion;  but  the  same  end  was  reached  by 
leaving  the  parishes  to  manage  their  own  affairs.  This  meant  that  the 
old  faith  would  be  retained. 

The  order  for  the  division  of  1654  appears  in  the  court  records  as 
follows: 

"At  a  court  held  at  ye  house  of  Mr.  Da.  Fox,  Aug'st  ye  7th  1654  for 
ye  countye  of  Lancaster 


95 

"Pres't:  Major  John  Carter,  Mr.  Toby  Smith,  Mr.  Ja.  W'mson,  Capt. 
Hen  Fleete,  Mr.  Rich.  Lees,  Mr.  Ja.  Bagnall 

Memor'd.  ye  county  of  Lancaster  is  divided  into  two  parishes, 

ye  inhabitants  being  sumoned  to  hereto  giving  their  votes  herein, 
vizt:  ye  lower  parish  to  begin  on  ye  right'nd  side  of  Moratican  river 
&  to  include  ye  westward  side  to  ye  head  thereof^  &  soe  into  ye  woods 
E.  by  N.  &  on  ye  south  side  from  ye  lower  marked  end  of  ye  land 
of  Rich.  Bennett,  Esq'r,  now  in  the  possession  of  Rice  Jones,  &  thence 
S.  W.  into  ye  woods,  ye  w'ch  two  places  are  to  be  the  bounds  between 
ye  two  parishes,  ye  upp  &   ye  lower." 

The  men  associated  with  the  making  of  these  early  parishes  were 
all  adherents  of  the  old  Establishment,  and  have  innumerable  descend- 
ants still  well  known  to  the  Episcopal  Church.  David  Fox,  in  his  will, 
dated  and  proved  in  1669,  gave  20  pounds  sterling  to  the  glazing  and 
other  uses  of  St.  Mary's  White  Chapel,  Lancaster,  and  his  son,  Capt. 
William  Fox,  in  his  will,  dated  1717^  directed  that  "My  wife  shall  send 
for  the  Lord's  Prayer  &  Creed  well  drawn  in  gold  letters  &  my  name 
under  each  of  them,  set  in  decent  black  frames,"  as  a  gift  to  St.  Mary's 
White  Chapel,  and  also  left  to  that  church  "the  font  that  came  in 
this  year."  Capt.  Fox's  gifts  still  remain  in  old  St.  Mary's.  A  contem- 
porary, George  Spencer,  of  Lancaster,  by  his  will  dated  March  3, 
1691,  gave  to  St.  Mary's  10,000  pounds  of  tobacco,  20  pounds  sterling 
for  the  purchase  of  a  piece  of  Communion  plate,  and  also  gave  a  "Cur- 
plice."  It  may  be  noted  here  that  Christ  church  and  St.  Mary's  were 
so  often  in  the  same  parish,  that  though  the  history  of  the  buildings 
is,  of  course,  different,  their  parish  history  may  be  considered  as  prac- 
tically the  same. 

John  Carter,  whose  name  appears  first  among  the  members  of  the 
court,  was  the  immigrant  ancestor  of  that  distinguished  Virginia  fami- 
ly, and  the  leading  man  in  the  parish  at  this  time,  while  James  Wil- 
liamson, through  his  descendants,  the  Balls,  was  ancestor  of  many 
people  well  known  in  the  Church. 

Henry  Fleet  (a  man  of  note  in  his  day)  had  a  grandson  of  the  same 
name,  who  left,  in  1730,  twenty  pounds  to  the  poor  of  Christ  church,  to 
be  distributed  by  the  vestry,  while  a  descendant  bearing  the  family  sur- 
name, is,  together  with  a  son  of  the  Bishop-Coadjutor  of  Southern  Vir- 
ginia, a  Rhodes  scholar  from  Virginia  at  Oxford. 

On  April  1,  1657,  appears  among  the  court  records  an  agreement  of 
the  people  of  Lancaster  with  Mr.  Samuel  Cole  to  serve  as  a  minister, 


96 

they  to  pay  him  10,000  pounds  of  tobacco  and  cask  for  the  present 
year.     Mr.  Cole  died  before  September  28.  1659. 

For  a  time  the  parishes  of  Lancaster  seem  to  have  had  only  occas- 
ional services  from  the  ministers  of  other  parishes. 

On  October  27,  1658,  the  county  court  ordered  a  payment  to  David 
Linsey,  minister,  on  account  of  his  pains  in  the  performance  of  his 
duties.  Mr.  Lindsey,  who  is  stated  in  his  epitaph  to  have  been  a 
doctor  of  divinity,  was  minister  of  a  Northumberland  parish. 

About  the  same  time  the  Lancaster  parishes  must  have  been  visited 
by  Rev.  William  White,  minister  of  York  parish.  Else  how,  in  those 
times  of  little  traveling,  could  he  have  met  Martha,  widow  of  Thomas 
Brice,  gentleman,  of  Lancaster,  whose  will  was  dated  April  24,  1657, 
and  proved  on  May  9th  following — the  very  same  day  on  which  was 
recorded  a  marriage  contract  between  his  widow  and  William  White. 
Mr.  White  died  shortly  afterwards,  and  there  is  some  reason  to  believe 
that  he  was  a  brother  of  Jeremiah  White,  Cromwell's  famous  chap- 
lain. 

On  April  1,  1657  (April  1st  seems  to  have  been  the  regular  date  for 
such  elections),  the  county  records  show  the  choice  of  church  wardens 
for  the  North  Side. 

With  the  formation  of  the  parishes  in  1654  began  the  vestry  book 
referred  to  by  Bishop  Meade.  It  would  appear  that  though  there  were 
really  but  two  parishes,  the  Upper  and  Lower,  yet  there  were  separate 
wardens  and  vestries  for  the  different  sides  of  the  river. 

In  1661  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  a  regular  ministerial  supply  (a  dif- 
ficulty doubtless  aggravated  by  the  political  uncertainty  of  the  preced- 
ing ten  years)   stirred  the  county  court  to  action. 

On  October  23,   1661,  the  following  order  was  made: 

"This  court,  taking  into  consideration  the  great  want  of  the  ministry 
that  hath  been  in  this  countie  &  conceiving  it  to  arise  from  the  small- 
ness  of  ye  p'ishes,  not  able  to  give  such  a  competency  as  may  invite 
mynisters  to  officiate  amongst  us  the  Court  has  therefore  ordered  that 
the  Constables  in  each  p'ishe  sum'on  the  inhabitants  unto  the  usual! 
place  of  meeting  in  each  p'ishe  or  where  there  is  no  usuall  place  of 
meeting,  unto  such  place  as  the  Co'ission'rs  [justices]  in  each  p'ishe 
shall  think  meete  &  there  being  met  to  subscribe  their  resolutions  con- 
cerning ye  following  queries: 

"First  whether  they  will  consent  until  such  tymes  as  they  bee  able 
to  maintaine  themselves  to  unite  &  joyne  with  the  rest  of  the  p'ishes 
of  this  countie  as  one  p'ishe  to  maintayne  a  minister  amongst  us  to 


97 

officiate  at  such  times  &  places  as  shall  be  thought  fit  by  a  general 
vestry  chosen  by  them  for  that  purpose. 

"Secondlie.  What  three  men  each  p'ishe  choose  to  make  up  this 
generall  vestry  to  act  in  all  things  w'ich  Concerns  this  generall  p'ishe. 

"It  is  further  ordered  that  Coll.  John  Carter,  Mr.  Hen.  Corbyn,  Mr. 
David  Fox  &  Mr.  William  Leich  doe  take  the  subscriptions  of  ye 
p'ishon'rs  of  each  p"ishe  &  they  are  hereby  impowered  to  issue  out 
warrants  to  the  respective  constables  for  the  Conveening  of  the  people 
at  such  times  &  places  as  ye  foure  p'sons  is  ordered  to  issue  out 
warrants  to  the  Constables  for  ye  sum'oning  of  the  inhabitants  before 
Mr.   Leich. 

"Several  Copies  hereof  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  p'sons  aforesaid." 

The  constant  and  earnest  efforts  of  Virginia  legislatures,  courts  and 
vestries,  throughout  the  Colonial  period,  to  promote  religion  and 
morals,  should  alone  be  a  sufficient  answer  to  the  ignorant  slanderers 
who  have  tried  to  besmirch  the  character  of  our  people  at  that  time. 

This  concentration  of  the  strength  of  the  several  weak  parishes 
doubtless  resulted  in  the  building  of  better  churches  as  well  as  in  a 
more  regular  filling  of  the  pulpit.  There  had  previously  been  some 
small  churches  in  various  parts  of  the  county:  but  in  1670  the  first 
church  on  the  present  site  of  Christ  church,  of  which  we 
have  any  knowledge,  was  completed.  Bishop  Meade  says  that 
it  was  erected  under  the  care  of  John  Carter,  first  of  that 
name.  By  the  same  authority  we  are  told  that  from  the  begin- 
ning of  the  vestry  book  of  1654  the  name  of  John  Carter  appeared  first 
in  the  lists,  followed  by  the  name  of  the  minister,  and  that  this  was 
also  the  case  with  his  sons,  John  and  Robert.  The  Bishop  was  writing 
from  recollection  after  an  interval  of  almost  twenty  years,  and  it  is 
possible  that  his  memory  was  at  fault.  During  the  numerous  meet- 
ings of  vestry,  when  there  was  no  minister  present,  John  Carter's  name 
no  doubt  appeared  first  because  he  was  a  member  of  the  Council;  but 
it  does  not  seem  likely  that  his  name  usually  preceded  that  of  the 
minister.  Governor  Nicholson  once  assailed  Robert  Carter,  charging 
him  with  arrogance,  fee,  and  if  he  could  have  had  such  an  example 
as  Carter's  taking  precedence  of  the  minister  in  his  own  vestry,  he 
would  certainly  have  mentioned  it. 

Tm'o  tombs  formerly  in  the  old  church  retain  their  places  in  the 
present.  At  the  side  of  the  chancel  is  that  of  Colonel  John  Carter. 
Much  discussion  has  arisen  from  the  rather  confused  way  in  which 
his   wives  and    children   are   mentioned.      The   epitaph    is   as   follows: 


98 

"Here  lyeth  buried  ye  body  of  John  Carter,  Esq.,  who  died  ye  10th  of 
June  Anno  Domini  1669,  and  also  Jane,  ye  daughter  of  Mr.  Morgan 
Glynn,  and  George  her  son,  and  Eleanor  Carter,  and  Ann  ye  daughter 
of  Mr.  Cleave  Carter,  and  Sarah  ye  daughter  of  Mr.  Gabriel  Ludlow, 
and  Sarah  her  daughter,  which  were  all  his  wives  successively  and  died 
before  him. 

"Blessed  are  ye  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord,  even  see,  saith  the 
Spirit;  for  they  rest  from  Their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow 
them." 

Colonel  Carter  was  actually  married  five  times,  one  of  his  wives 
surviving  him. 

In  the  centre  of  the  church,  at  the  intersection  of  the  aisles,  is  a 
tomb   bearing  the  following  inscription: 

"Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Mr.  David  Miles,  who  died  the  29th  of 
December,  1674,  in  the  40th  year  of  his  age. 

"Hodie    mihi,    eras    tibi." 

Rev.  Benjamin  Doggett,  who  seems  to  have  come  from  Ipswich,  Eng- 
land, was  probably  the  first  minister  of  any  considerable  length  of 
service  in  the  parish.  He  died  in  1682,  and  in  his  will  directed  that 
his  books  be  collected,  packed  in  a  "great  chest,"  and  sent  to  England 
for  sale.  He  is  believed  to  have  been  ancestor  of  the  distinguished  bishop 
of  the  name  in  that  daughter  of  the  Church  of  England— the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  The  next  clergyman  who  appears  in  the  county 
records  is  the  Rev.  John  Bertrand,  a  Huguenot,  but  a  minister  of  the 
Established  Church,  who  died  in  1701.  Among  his  descendants  was 
Judge  Cyrus  Griffin,  last  president  of  the  Continental  Congress,  and 
a  lay  delegate  to  Virginia  Church  Councils. 

In  a  clergy  list  dated  1702  Rev.  John  Carnegie  appears  as  incumbent 
of  St.  Mary's,  without  any  name  following  that  of  Christ  Church. 
Doubtless  he  had  charge  of  both. 

The  next  minister,  who  bore  the  historic  name  of  Andrew  Jackson, 
and  who  may  have  been  of  the  same  stock  as  Old  Hickory  or  Stonewall, 
left,  at  his  death  in  1710,  his  books  to  Christ  church  parish  for  the  use 
of  the  incumbent,  and  gave  £10  sterling  to  "the  meeting-house  in 
Caple  Square,  Dublin." 

Bishop  Meade,  again  writing  from  memory,  says  that  he  made  his 
mark  in  the  vestry  book,  but  if  so,  it  must  have  resulted  from  some 
temporary  injury,  for  it  was  certainly  not  the  case  when  he  signed 
papers   in   regard   to  secular  affairs.     The  Bishop  adds:    "He  was   not 


99 

episcopally  ordained,  and  this  lead  to  a  correspondence  between  the 
vestry  and  one  of  the  Governors  of  Virginia,  at  a  time  when  an  order 
came  from  England  requiring  all  holding  livings  to  be  episcopally  or- 
dained should  be  enforced  in  Virginia.  They  plead  that  he  had  been 
serving  the  parish  faithfully  for  twenty-five  years,  that  he  was  much 
esteemed  and  beloved,  and  had  brought  up  a  large  family  of  children, 
and  laid  up  something  for  them  from  his  industrious  culture  of  the 
^lebe  (then  and  now  a  good  farm  near  the  church)."  Mr.  Jackson 
remained  minister  of  the  parish  until  his  death,  though,  as  far  as  his 
will  shows,  he  left  neither  wife  nor  children.  He  appears  to  have  been 
an  emigrant  from  Belfast,  Ireland,  and  had,  no  doubt,  been  a  Presby- 
terian minister. 

His  successor  was  Rev.  John  Bell,  who  was  incumbent  until  his  death 
in  1743.  His  inventory  shows  that  he  owned  land  in  Lancaster  and 
Prince  William,  forty-three  slaves,  &c. 

The  ministry  of  Rev.  David  Currie,  who  succeeded,  was  only  termi- 
nated by  his  death  in  1792.  He  was  a  faithful  and  useful  man.  Meade 
gives  a  pleasant  letter  from  Charles  Carter,  of  Shirley,  to  Mr.  Currie, 
in  which  he  tells  him  that  he  had  put  in  his  will  a  bequest  of  500 
acres  of  land  for  life  to  Mrs.  Currie.  No  doubt  a  most  cheering  epistle 
for  a  minister  in  the  dark  days  of  1790. 

We  have  interesting  mention  of  Christ  church  during  Mr.  Currie's 
pre-Revolutionary  ministry  in  the  diary  of  Colonel  James  Gordon,  of 
Merry  Point,  Lancaster.  Colonel  Gordon  was  one  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  county  and  of  fervent  piety;  but  he  was  of  the  old  type  of  Scotch- 
Irishman,  and  of  what  has  been  called  "High-Church  Presbyterianism." 
As  Mr.  Currie  sometimes  preached  against  the  Presbyterian  Church,  it 
is  not  surprising  that  Colonel  Gordon  did  not  admire  him.  How- 
ever, he  and  the  members  of  his  family  frequently  attended 
"church,"  as  he  called  it,  in  contradistinction  to  the  "meet- 
ing-house," as  he  names  the  place  of  worship  of  his  own 
faith.  On  August  26,  1758,  he  writes:  "At  home  with  my  wife 
and  family,  where  I  have  much  more  comfort  than  going  to  church 
to  hear  the  ministers  ridiculing  the  Dissenters."  And  on  October  7th: 
"Went  with  my  wife  to  White  Chapel  church,  where  we  heard  Mr. 
Currie — a  very  indifferent  discourse— nothing  scarce  but  external 
modes;  much  against  Presbyterians — so  that  I  was  much  disappointed, 
for  it  was  misspending  the  Lord's  Day."  At  the  same  time  Colonel 
Gordon  was  a  member  of  the  vestry. 

There  were  two   flourishing  Presbyterian   churches   at  that   time  in 


100 

Lancaster,  and  no  doubt  the  contrast  in  preaching  between  good  Par- 
son Currie,  who  after  the  old  fashion,  probably  read  his  sermons  with 
(from  his  nationality)  a  Scotch  accent,  and  Davies,  Whitfield  and 
Waddell  (afterwards  Wirt's  famous  l)lind  orator),  who  officiated  at  the 
"meeting-house,"  was  very  strong. 

After  Mr.  Currie's  death  the  parish  was  for  many  years  irregularly 
served.  These  were  the  dark  days  of  the  Church  in  Virginia.  Be- 
tween 1792  and  1832  appear  the  names  of  Leland,  Page,  McNaughton 
and  Low.  Bishop  Meade  says  the  two  latter  were  unworthy  men. 
There  is  some  reason  to  believe,  however,  that  poor  Low  suffered  from 
Bome  mental  infirmity.  Born  of  very  humble  parents,  he  early  showed 
great  talents,  and  before  leaving  Scotland  was  the  author  of  at  least 
one  song,  "Mary's  Dream,"  which  was  long  popular  in  that  kingdom. 

In  1832  Rev.  Ephraim  Adams  took  charge  of  the  parish  and  con- 
tinued its  minister  for  four  years.  He  was  followed  in  1839  by  Rev. 
Francis  McGuire,  in  1844-1845  by  Mr.  Richmond,  in  1850  and  1852  by 
Mr.  Nash,  and  in  1853  by  Rev.  Edmund  Withers.  He  was  followed  in 
succession  by  Revs.  George  May.  H.  L.  Derby,  E.  B.  Burwell,  Mr.  Micou 
and  L.  R.  Combes,  the  present  rector. 

In  tracing  the  series  of  ministers  of  the  parish,  the  event  which 
makes  it  pre-eminent  among  Virginia  parishes — the  erection  of  the 
fine  church,  which  still  stands,  unaltered — has  been  passed  over. 

The  church  built  in  1670  became  too  small  for  the  congregation,  and 
a  larger  one,  with  some  change  of  location,  was  considered.  Robert 
Carter,  of  Corotoman,  even  then  known  as  "King  Carter,"  offered,  if 
the  site  was  retained,  to  build  one  at  his  own  expense.  In  his  will, 
dated  August  26,  1728,  he  made  the  following  bequest: 

"It  is  my  will  and  I  do  ordain  that  whenever  the  vestry  of  Christ 
church  parish  shall  undertake  to  build  a  brick  church  in  the  place 
where  the  present  church  stands,  that  there  be  paid  out  of  my  estate 
by  my  three  elder  sons  &  ex'ors  the  sum  of  £200  sterling  money;  one 
half  part  of  this  money  to  be  paid  out  of  my  son  .lohn's  estate,  the  other 
half  is  to  be  equally  paid  by  my  son  Robert  and  my  son  Charles  out 
of  their  part  of  my  estate,  this  money  to  remain  in  my  ex'or's  hands 
until  one-half  the  work  is  completed,  provided  alwaies  the  Chancel  be 
preserved  as  a  burial  place  for  my  family  as  the  present  chancel  is, 
and  that  there  be  preserved  to  my  family  a  commodious  pew  in  the 
new  chancel;  &  and  it  is  my  further  will  that  the  bricks  that  are  now 
made  &  burnt  shall  be  appropriated  to  the  building  of  the  said  Brick 
church,  or  as  many  thereof  as  will  perfect  the  building,  and  likewise. 


101 

the  bricks  that  shall  be  made  &  be  there  at  my  decease,  and  If  my  son 
John  shall  have  occasion  to  make  use  of  any  of  the  said  bricks,  then  he 
be  obliged  to  make  &  burn  as  many  more  for  the  use  aforesaid.  I 
give  twenty  pounds  sterling  to  be  laid  out  in  a  piece  of  plate  for  the 
use  of  our  church  to  be  sent  for  and  engraved  according  to  the  direc- 
tion of  my  son  John." 

Colonel  Carter  not  only  made  this  bequest  in  his  will,  but  when  the 
work  was  undertaken  in  his  lifetime  gave  largely  in  addition.  The 
vestry  book  quoted  by  Bishop  Meade  (an  extract  from  which  is  pre- 
served by  one  of  the  Carter  descendants)  shows  that  he  bore  the  en- 
tire cost  of  building,  reserving  one-fourth  of  the  church  for  his  ser- 
vants and  tenants,  besides  a  very  large  pew  near  the  chancel  for  his 
immediate  family.  Tradition  says  that  the  congregation  did  not  enter 
on  Sunday  until  the  arrival  of  his  coach,  when  they  followed  the 
"King"  into  church.  A  map  of  the  great  Corotoman  estate  remains 
in  the  clerk's  office  at  Lancaster  Courthouse.  It  contained  8,000  acres 
and  stretched  along  the  bank  of  the  Corotoman  river  and  far  out  into 
the  country,  extending  beyond  the  present  Kilmarnock,  and  including 
the  present  Irvington.  A  close  set  hedge  of  cedar  trees,  many  of  which 
still  remain,  ran  on  both  sides  of  a  straight  road,  three  miles  from 
Corotoman  house,  on  the  Rappahannock,  to  the  church.  Bishop 
Meade's  description  of  the  church,  as  he  saw  it  in  1838.  is  worth  re- 
peating: 

"My  next  appointment  was  at  Christ  church,  Lancaster,  on  the  23d 
of  June.  This  was  the  day  appointed  by  the  Convention  to  be  observed 
as  a  day  of  humiliation,  fasting  and  prayer  on  account  of  the  languor 
in  the  Church,  and  the  sins  and  troubles  in  the  nation.  No  temple  of 
religion,  and  no  spot  in  the  Diocese  could  have  been  selected  more  in 
accordance  with  the  solemn  duty  of  that  day  than  the  old  and  vener- 
able church  in  which  three  of  God's  ministers  were  assembled.  I 
preached  a  sermon  adapted  to  the  occasion,  and  then  proposed  that 
those  Vv'ho  were  minded  to  spend  the  day  as  the  Church  recommended 
should  remain  for  some  hours  at  that  place  in  suitable  religious  exer- 
cises. A  goodly  number  complied  with  the  invitation,  and  after  an 
interval  of  perhaps  an  hour,  which  was  spent  in  surveying  the  building 
and  the  tombs  around  this  ancient  house  of  God,  another  service  was 
performed,  and  a  second  appropriate  discourse  was  preached  by  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Nelson,  the  service  having  been  performed  by  Mr.  Francis 
Mcfhiire,   the   present   minister   of  the   parish.     The   past   history   and 


102 

present  condition  of  this  hallowed  spot  and  temple  deserve  a  more 
particular  notice.  This  notice  is  derived  from  the  memorials  furnish- 
ed by  the  house  itself,  the  tombstones  around  and  within,  and  the  ves- 
try book  of  the  parish,  kept  from  the  year  1654  to  1770,  to  which  I 
had  access." 

The  Bishop  then  describes  the  building  of  the  earlier  church,  and 
Robert  Carter's  offer  to  build  a  new  one,  and  continues:  "The  offer  was 
cheerfully  accepted,  and  the  present  house  was  completed  about  the 
time  of  Mr.  Carter's  death — that  is,  about  the  year  1732 — and  exhibits 
to  this  day  one  of  the  most  striking  monuments  of  the  fidelity  of  an- 
cient architecture  to  be  seen  in  the  land.  Very  few,  if  any,  repairs 
have  been  put  upon  it;  the  original  roof  and  shingles  now  cover  the 
house  and  have  preserved  in  a  state  of  perfection  the  beautiful  arched 
ceilings,  except  in  two  places,  which  have  within  a  few  years  been  a 
little  discolored  by  the  rain,  which  found  its  way  through  the  gutters 
where  the  shingles  have  decayed.  The  walls  of  the  house  are  three  feet 
thick,  perfect  and  sound.  The  windows  are  large  and  strong,  having 
probably  two-thirds  of  the  original  glass  in  them.  The  pews  are  of 
the  old  fashion,  high-backed  and  very  firm.  A  very  large  one  near  the 
altar,  and  opposite  the  pulpit,  together  with  the  whole  north  cross  of 
the  building,  was  especially  reserved  by  Mr.  Carter  for  the  use  of  his 
family  and  dependents  in  all  time  to  come. 

"It  deserves  to  be  mentioned  that,  in  addition  to  the  high  backs, 
which  always  concealed  the  family  and  prevented  any  of  them  from 
gazing  around  when  sitting  or  kneeling,  a  railing  of  brass  rods,  with 
f'amask  curtains,  was  put  around  the  top  of  the  pew,  except  the  part 
opposite  to  the  pulpit,  in  order,  it  is  supposed,  to  prevent  the  indul- 
gence of  curiosity  when  standing.  These  remained  until  a  few  years 
since,  and  parts  of  them  may  probably  yet  be  found  in  the  possession 
of  neighbors  or  relatives.  In  further  evidence  of  the  fidelity  with 
which  the  house  was  built,  I  would  mention  that  the  pavement  of  the 
aisles,  which  is  of  large  freestone,  is  yet  solid  and  smooth,  as  though 
it  was  the  work  of  yesterday.  The  old  walnut  Communion  table  also 
stands  firm  and  unimpaired,  and  not  a  round  from  the  railing  of  the 
chancel  is  gone  or  even  loosened.  The  old  niarl)le  font,  the  largest  and 
most  beautiful  I  ever  saw.  is  still  there;  and,  what  will  scarce  be  cred- 
ited, the  old  cedar  dial-post,  with  the  name  of  .lohn  Carter.  1702.  and 
which  was  only  removed  a  few  years  since  from  its  station  without  the 
door,  where  it  was  planted  in  the  ground,  is  still  to  be  seen  in  its  place 


103 

of  secuiity  under  the  pulpit.  In  such  a  house,  surrounded  by  such  me- 
morials, it  was  delightful  to  read  the  Word  of  God  and  the  prayers  of 
the  Church  from  the  old  desk,  to  pronounce  the  commandments  from 
the  altar  near  which  the  two  tables  of  the  law.  the  creed  and  the  Lord's 
Prayer  are  still  to  be  seen,  in  large  and  legible  characters,  and  then  to 
preach  the  words  of  eternal  life  from  the  high  and  lofty  pulpit,  which 
seemed,  as  it  were,  to  be  hung  in  the  air.  Peculiarly  delightful  it  was 
to  raise  the  voice  in  such  utterances  in  a  house  whose  sacred  form  and 
beautiful  arches  seemed  to  give  force  and  music  to  the  feeblest  tongue 
beyond  any  other  building  in  which  I  ever  performed  or  heard  the 
hallowed  services  of  the  sanctuary.  The  situation  of  the  church, 
though  low  and  surrounded  on  two  of  its  sides  by  woodlands,  with 
thick  undergrowths,  is  not  without  its  peculiar  interest.  A  few  acres 
of  open  land,  with  some  very  large  trees,  chiefly  spreading  walnuts, 
furnish  ample  room  for  the  horses  and  vehicles  of  those  who  attend  it. 
An  old  decayed  wall  with  a  number  of  graves  and  tombstones  around 
the  house,  add  no  little  to  the  solemnity  of  the  scene.  Among  these, 
at  the  east  end  of  the  house,  within  a  decent  enclosure,  recently  put 
up,  are  to  be  seen  the  tombs  of  Robert  Carter,  the  builder  of  the  house, 
and  his  two  wives.  These  are  probably  the  largest  and  richest  and 
heaviest  tombstones  in  our  land.  A  long  Latin  inscription  is  seen  on 
that  of  Mr.  Carter.  While  the  tomb  of  the  husband  is  entire,  those  of 
the  wives  appear  to  have  been  riven  by  liglitning  and  are  separating 
and  falling  to  pieces."  Writing  of  the  church  as  it  was  in  1853,  the 
Bishop  said:  "When  a  few  years  since  it  was  repaired,  the  only  re- 
pairs required  were  a  new  roof  (and  but  for  the  failure  in  the  gutters 
that  would  have  been  unnecessary),  the  renewal  of  the  cornices,  sup- 
plying the  broken  glass,  and  painting  the  pews,  pulpit,  &c.  All  the  rest 
were  in  the  most  perfect  state  of  soundness.  The  shingles,  except  in 
the  old  decayed  gutters,  were  so  good  that  they  were  sold  to  the  neigh- 
bors around,  and  will  probably  now  last  longer  than  many  new  otma 
just  gotten  from  the  woods.  *  *  *  in  taking  off  the  roof  of  old 
Christ  church  for  the  purpose  of  renewing  it,  the  secret  of  the  durability 
of  the  plastering  was  discovered.  Besides  having  mortar  of  the  most  te- 
nacious kind  and  of  the  purest  white,  and  laths  much  thicker  and 
stronger  than  those  now  in  use,  and  old  English  wrought  nails,  the 
mortar  was  not  only  pressed  with  a  strong  hand  through  the  openings 
of  the  laths,  but  clinched  on  the  other  side  by  a  trowel  in  the  hand  of 
one  above,  so  as  to  be  fast  keyed  and  kept  from  falling. 


104 

"In  all  lesi.ects  the  house  appears  to  have  been  built  in  the  most  du- 
ial)]e  niannei',  but  without  any  of  the  mere  trinkets  of  architecture. 
Tlu'  loriu  and  proportion  of  the  house  are  also  most  excellent,  and 
make  a  profound  impression  on  the  mind  and  eye  of  the  beholder. 
Though  the  walls  are  three  feet  thick,  yet  such  is  their  height  and  such 
the  short  distance  between  the  windows  and  doors,  and  such  the  e.Tect 
of  the  figure  of  the  cross,  that  there  is  no  appearance  of  heaviness 
about  them.  The  roof  or  roofs  are  also  steep  and  high  and  take  the 
place  of  tower  or  steeple."' 

Since  Bishop  Meade  wrote,  the  Civil  War  and  the  poverty  and  dis- 
tress which  followed  it  have  come.  The  venerable  old  church  has  suf- 
fered further  from  vandalism,  and  on  account  of  the  weakened  condi- 
tion of  the  supports  of  the  pulpit,  services  have  bsen  rarely  held.  This 
noble  example,  as  well  of  the  skill  and  thoroughness  of  the  mechanics 
of  the  past,  as  to  its  pious  liberality,  has  defied  alike  time  and  human 
destructiveness,  and  stands  to-day,  needing  only  a_  few  hundred  dollars 
to  make  it  again  a  perfect  example  of  the  Eighteenth  Century  Colonial 
church. 

Though  the  roof  had  become  leaky,  portions  of  the  gallery  and  pulpit 
stair-railing  carried  off  by  relic-hunters,  most  of  the  windows  broken 
by  passing  vandals,  the  Creed  and  Commandments  torn  from  their 
frames,  the  tombs  in  the  yai'd  broken  into  fiagments  (it  is  stated  in 
the  neighborhood  that  a  large  piece  of  the  tomb  of  P.oliert  Carter,  con- 
taining the  coat-of-arms,  was  stolen  and  carried  away  not  many  years 
ago  by  a  party  who  were  on  the  Rappahannock  in  a  yacht  belonging 
to  a  well-known  New  York  man),  and  even  the  baptismal  font  broken, 
the  main  fabric  of  the  church  within  and  without  remains  as  when 
built.  The  high  pulpit,  with  the  sounding-board  above  it,  and  the 
clerk's  desk  below;  the  great  pews  of  black  walnut,  some  of  them  ca- 
pable of  holding  twenty  people,  and  the  rock  like  plaster  on  the  walls, 
remain  as  they  were,  only  needing  comparatively  slight  repairs  and 
lefreshing. 

Mr.  R.  S.  Mitchell,  of  Irvington,  who  has  long  been  a  vestryman  of 
the  parish,  and  has  been  indefatigable  in  his  efforts  towards  the  resto- 
lation  of  the  old  church,  has  furnished  measurements  of  the  l)uilding. 
It  is  in  the  form  of  a  Greek  cross,  the  main  body  of  the  (hurc''  and 
the  transepts  measuring  externally  sixty-eight  feet.  As  the  walls  are 
three  feet  thick,  the  interior  dimensions  are  sixty-two  feet.  The  ceil- 
ing,  which   forms  a  groined  arch  over  the  intersection  of  the  aisles,  is 


105 

thiity-three  feet  from  the  floor,  and  the  top  of  the  roof  is  ten  feet 
higher.  The  flooring  of  the  aisles,  of  slabs  of  freestone,  is  still  solid 
and  smooth,  while  the  raised  plank  flooring  of  the  pews  is,  in  most  in- 
stances, in  fair  condition. 

There  are  three  round  windows  in  the  gables,  and  twelve  others, 
which  are  six  by  fourteen  feet.  The  high  pews,  of  solid  black  walnut, 
with  seats  running  around  them,  are  still  solid  and  strong,  but  the 
woodwork  is  dull  from  age.  There  are  twenty-five  pews,  twenty-two 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  twelve  each,  and  three  which  will  contain 
twenty  persons  each.  These  latter  were  for  the  Carter  family  and  at- 
tendants, and  for  the  magistrates. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Association  for  the  Preservation  of  Virginia 
Antiquities  gave  $500  toward  the  repair  of  this  venerable  church,  and 
with  this  and  several  hundred  dollars  raised  in  the  parish  and  by  other 
friends,  among  whom  should  be  especially  noted  Mrs.  Rosa  Wright 
Smith,  of  Fort  Hancock,  N.  Y.,  the  roof  was  thoroughly  restored,  and 
all  the  lights  replaced  in  the  windows,  which  are  now  guarded  by  wire 
screens;  a  barbed  wire  fence  was  put  around  the  churchyard,  and  a 
person  living  nearby  employed  to  watch  the  church.  Therefore,  there 
is  no  further  danger  of  the  desecration  from  which  the  church  has  so 
often  suffered. 

Only  a  few  hundred  dollars  is  now  required  to  restore  this  most  in- 
teresting relic  of  our  past  to  its  original  condition.  The  pews  and  the 
great  double  doors,  each  separate  door  measuring  five  by  twelve  feet, 
only  need  oiling  and  cleaning  to  be  restored  to  their  original  color  and 
polish.  One  gate  is  missing  from  the  chancel  rail;  most  of  the  railing 
to  pulpit  and  gallery  stairs  is  gone,  as  is  also  one  foot  of  the  old  Com- 
munion table,  and,  as  has  been  stated,  the  Creed  and  Commandments 
have  been  torn  from  the  frames,  which  still,  however,  remain.  The 
rays  on  the  sounding-board  need  regilding,  and  the  font,  which  Bishop 
Meade  said  v/as  the  largest  and  most  beautiful  he  ever  saw,  requires 
a  skilled  hand  to  place  together  the  four  pieces  into  which  some  sav- 
ages (said  to  have  been  a  party  of  drunken  sailors)  have  broken  it. 
With  these  things  done,  we  will  have  an  unchanged  example  of  a  Co- 
lonial church  of  the  first  class. 

It  is  hoped  that  all  who  may  feel  an  interest  in  this  restoration, 
whether  from  an  antiquarian,  religious  or  family  point  of  view,  will 
aid  the  good  work. 

Such  is  Christ  church,  and  such,  imperfectly  told,  is  the  history.     It 


106 

is  the  only  Colonial  church  in  Vii'ginia  erected  by  one  man,  and  it  is 
the  only  one  of  that  period  which  has  come  down  to  .us  unaltered.  It 
is  a  monument  to  the  pious  generosity  as  well  as  to  the  great  estate  of 
Robert  Carter,  and  the  spot  was  intimately  associated  with  the  Carter 
family  for  four  or  five  generations.  The  descendants  of  the  founder 
of  the  church,  in  his  own  and  hundreds  of  other  names,  have  spread 
throughout  the  country,  and  many  of  them  have  prospered  greatly  in 
worldly  affairs.  The  majority  of  them  still  adhere  to  the  faith  of  their 
ancestor.  What  a  fine  vfovk  it  would  be  if  the  descendants  of  this 
founder  would  make  the  old  church  their  own  especial  charge,  make 
the  small  repairs  necessary  and  endow  it  so  that  there  might  always 
be  an  assistant  to  the  rector  of  the  parish  (now  containing  three  other 
churches),  who  would  regularly  officiate  at  Christ  church.  The  country 
surrounding  it  is  now  becoming  one  of  the  most  prosperous  sections 
of  rural  Virginia,  the  opportunity  for  effective  work  is  very  great,  and 
the  fine  old  church,  no  longer  a  mere  antiquarian  relic,  would  become 
a  potent  factor  for  good  in  the  Diocese  and  State.  Could  any  man 
have  a  nobler  monument? 


WASHINC  TON     AS      A     \  KSTIJV  M  A  .\  . 


WASHINGTON  AS  A  VESTRYMAN. 

BY   THE    REV.    EDWAKD    L.    COODWIN.    HISTORIOGRAPHEK   OF   THE    DIOCESE   OF 

VIRGINIA. 

WHEN  in  the  year  1759  Colonel  George  Washington  had  re- 
turned from  the  wars  on  the  frontier,  and  had  married 
and  adopted  the  life  of  a  Virginia  planter,  he  wrote  to  a 
friend  from  Mount  Vernon:  "I  am  now,  I  believe,  fixed 
in  this  seat,  with  an  agreeable  partner  for  life,  and  I  hope  to  find  more 
happiness  in  retirement  than  I  have  experienced  in  the  wide  and  bust- 
ling world.'  He  was  at  that  time  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  and  was 
already  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  figures  in  his  native  Virginia; 
an  extensive  land-holder  of  ample  means,  an  experienced  man  of  af- 
fairs, and  possessed  of  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  community. 
He  would  not  expect,  therefore,  nor  would  his  neighbors  willingly 
consent,  that  his  retirement  would  be  so  complete  as  to  preclude  his 
serving  his  people  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  of  the  Colony,  the  Jus- 
tices Court  of  his  county  and  the  vestry  of  his  parish,  as  his  father 
and  brother  had  done  before  him. 

That  Washington,  with  a  fine  public  spirit,  filled  all  of  these  posi- 
tions, and  that  of  Road  Overseer  as  well,  before  he  was  called  upon 
to  assume  those  higher  responsibilities  under  which  his  name  became 
immortal,  is  well  known.  That  he  was  a  vestryman  is  mentioned 
by  nearly  all  of  his  biographers.  With  an  undue  zeal,  indeed,  most 
of  them  write  him  down  a  vestryman  in  two  parishes.  But  this,  with 
a  single  anecdote  and  some  notice  of  the  churches  he  attended,  ex- 
hausts the  information  they  have  possessed.  Bishop  Meade  records 
the  few  details  he  was  able  to  gather;  and  Dr.  Slaughter,  in  three 
pages  of  a  pamphlet,  completes  what  has  been  published  on  the  sub- 
ject. Some  further  account,  therefore,  of  Washington's  service  on 
his  parish  vestry,  drawn  from  original  sources,  may  be  of  interest 
and  value,  and  may  also  serve  to  illustrate  the  history  of  the  Virginia 
Church  in  pre-Revolutionary  days. 

Parishes  in  Virginia  which  are  less  than  two  hundred  years  old 
can  always  trace  their  descent  from  an  ancient  and  honorable  ances- 
try.    Except  a  few   of  the   very  oldest    on    the    lower    Tidewatei",    the 


108 

early  parishes,  while  hounded  on  the  north,  south  and  east,  had  no 
fixed  boundaries  on  the  west,  but  extended  in  that  direction  to  the 
unknown  heads  of  the  rivers  on  which  they  were  situated,  or  to  the 
Blue  Ridge,  or  to  "the  utmost  limits  of  Virginia."  So  every  foot  of 
land  in  the  Colony  was  in  some  parish.  As  the  population  pushed 
westward  these  parishes  were  divided  and  subdivided,  the  process  con- 
tinuing to  this  day,  and  always  preserving  a  distinct  family  line. 
Truro  parish,  in  which  Mount  Vernon  is  situated,  is  in  the  line,  and 
is  almost  certainly  the  great-great-granddaughter  of  Washington  par- 
ish, Westmoreland  county,  in  which  George  Washington  was  born, 
and  which  was  named  for,  as  it  was  founded  by,  the  first  of  the  Wash- 
ingtons  in  Virginia.  The  grandmother  of  Truro  was  Overwharton 
parish,  in  Stafford  county.  From  this  was  formed,  in  1730,  Hamilton 
parish,  embracing  all  the  territory  of  the  Northern  Neck  west  of 
Stafford.  Prince  William  county,  covering  the  same  territory,  was 
formed  the  next  year.  Truro  parish  was  formed  from  Hamilton,  No- 
vember 1,  1732,  and  contained  originally  all  that  part  thereof  lying 
above  "The  river  Ockoquon  and  the  Bull  Run,  and  a  course  from  thence 
to  the  Indian  Thoroughfare  (Ashby's  Gap),  in  the  Blue  Ridge  of 
Mountains."  Just  ten  years  later  Fairfax  county  was  formed,  "con- 
sisting of  the  Parish  of  Truro."  These  instances  illustrate  the  in- 
teresting fact  that,  as  a  rule,  as  the  settlement  of  the  country  advanc- 
ed westward,  the  parish  organization  preceded  that  of  the  county,  and 
the  churches  were  far  in  advance  of  the  court-houses. 

When  Truro  was  formed  it  already  contained  two  churches  and  a 
"chapell,"  the  latter  being  above  Goose  creek,  in  what  is  now  upper 
Loudoun.  The  exact  location  of  these  churches,  which  were  probably 
of  primitive  construction,  is  unknown,  but  the  distance  between  two 
of  them  could  not  have  been  less  than  fifty  miles  as  the  crow  flies. 
Besides  the  original  Pohick  and  Falls  churches,  a  frame  church  was 
afterwards  built  near  Dranesville,  the  foundations  of  which  were  to 
1)6  seen  until  recently;  another  in  Alexandria,  and  possibly  another 
at  some  unknown  point,  before  the  present  brick  churches  were  erected 
in  Washington's  day.  In  1749  Trui'o  was  reduced  to  about  one-fourth 
of  its  original  size  by  the  formation  of  Cameron  parish,  and  nine  years 
after  Loudoun  county  was  formed,  the  county  again  following  the 
parish  and  the  lines  being  afterward  made  to  coincide.  So  Truro 
became  again  coterminous  with  Fairfax  county,  which  included  Alex- 
andria,  but  extended   on   the  west  only   to   Difficult  Run,   and   a   line 


109 

from  the  head  thereof  to  the  mouth  of  Rocky  Run,  or  about  eight  miles 
short  of  its  present  upper  line  as  established  in  1798.  The  parish 
(and  county)  was  about  twenty-two  miles  square,  which  was  still 
above  the  average  size  of  parishes  in  the  more  thickly  settled  parts 
of  the  Colony.  It  contained  three  framed  churches,  the  old  Pohick, 
the  old  Falls,  and  an  old  church  in  Alexandria.  This  was  the  parish 
when  Washington  first  became  a  vestryman.  Within  a  decade  there- 
after the  above  churches  were  all  replaced  by  massive  brick  buildings, 
which  remain  to  this  day;  while  a  fourth,  equally  substantial  but  less 
fortunate,  was  built  in  a  hitherto  destitute  quarter — of  which  more 
hereafter. 

The  minister  of  Truro  from  1737  to  1765  was  Charles  Green,  M.  D., 
a  gentleman  of  large  landed  estate  in  the  county,  who  was  recommend- 
ed to  the  vestry  by  Augustine  Washington,  and  by  them  recommended 
to  Lord  Fairfax  for  his  letters  of  recommendation  to  the  Lord  Bishop 
cf  London  for  orders.  This  was,  perhaps,  a  recognition  of  the  right 
of  Church  patronage  or  presentation  granted  to  the  proprietors  of  the 
Northern  Neck  by  their  Letters  Patent.  Dr.  Green  was  absent  for  about 
ten  months  in  securing  his  ordination.  He  was  the  friend  and  pastor 
of  Washington  and  Mason,  and  for  many  years  they  and  other  good 
men,  including  his  successors,  Lee  Massey  and  Bryan  Fairfax,  sat 
under  his  preaching,  and  no  word  of  complaint  is  on  record  against 
him.  On  one  occasion  Washington  mentions  in  his  Journal  having 
Mr.  Green  called  in  to  visit  Mrs.  Washington,  and  he  prescribed  the 
remedies  needful  for  her  relief.  Upon  his  death  the  leading  vestry- 
men persuaded  Mr.  Lee  Massey,  a  young  lawyer  of  high  ability  and 
character,  and  a  justice  of  the  county  court,  to  become  his  successor 
in  Truro.  The  vestry  requested  not  Lord  Fairfax  this  time,  but 
Governor  Fauquier,  to  recommend  him  to  the  Bishop  of  London  for 
ordination.  He  became  minister  in  1767,  and  served  for  about  ten 
years. 

A  vestry  of  that  day,  after  its  election  by  the  freeholders  of  the  par- 
ish under  order  of  the  General  Assembly,  was  a  self-perpetuating  body. 
All  vacancies  occasioned  by  death,  resignation,  removal  from  the  par- 
ish, or  "dissenting  from  the  communion  of  the  Church  of  England," 
were  filled  by  the  vestry  itself;  and  a  vestry  could  only  be  dissolved 
and  a  new  election  ordered  by  a  special  act  of  the  General  Assembly. 
Truro  only  had  two  vestries  from  1732  to  1765.  The  first  was  dis- 
solved by  the  Assembly  in  1744.     The  reasons  given  in  the  preamble 


110 

of  the  act  are  that  many  of  the  vestrymen  were  illegally  elected,  and 
that  others  were  not  able  to  read  or  write.  Several  caustic  side-notes 
in  the  old  vestry  book,  v/ritten  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Green,  would  seem 
to  point  to  the  jealousies  of  local  politics  for  the  true  explanation. 
Only  one  vestryman,  and  he  a  Church  warden,  used  to  sign  his  name 
with  a  cross  mark,  and  he  was  promptly  re-elected  when  the  new 
vestry  was  chosen. 

"At  a  Vestry  held  for  Truro  Parish  October  25,  1762,"  so  the  old 
vestry  book  states,  it  was  "Ordered,  that  George  Washington  Esqr. 
be  chosen  and  appointed  one  of  the  Vestrymen  of  this  Parish,  in  the 
room  of  William  Peake.  Gent,  deceased."  And  the  court  records  show 
that  "At  a  Court  held  for  the  County  of  Fairfax,  15th  February.  1763 

George  Washington  Esqr.  took  the  oaths  according  to  Law  repeated 

and  subscribed  the  Test  and  subscribed  to  the  Doctrine  and  Discipline 
of  the  Church  of  England  in  order  to  qualify  him  to  act  as  a  Vestryman 
of  Truro  Parish." 

These  numerous  oaths  and  subscriptions,  which  the  law  was  ex- 
plicit in  requiring  of  every  vestryman,  are  not  without  interest  in  this 
connection.  The  well-known  test  oath  was  in  these  words:  "I  do 
declare  that  I  do  believe  there  is  not  any  Transubstantiation  in  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  or  in  the  elements  of  Bread  and 
Wine  at  or  after  the  Consecration  thereof  by  any  person  whatsoever." 
For  the  subscription  to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  the  Church 
of  England  there  was  no  formula  prescribed  by  law.  The  other  oaths, 
too  long  to  be  reproduced  here,  are  to  be  found  in  the  Statutes  at 
Large  of  England,  First  of  George  L,  stat.  2,  c.  13,  and  may  also  be 
seen,  with  slight  errors  in  transcription,  in  Bishop  Meade's  Old 
Churches,  &c..  Vol.  IL,  p.  4.  The  first  is  a  simple  oath  of 
allegiance.  The  second  abjures  "that  damnable  doctrine  and 
position  that  Princes  excommunicated  or  deprived  by  the  Pope — 
may  be  deposed  or  murthered  by  their  subjects  or  any  other 
whatsoever,"  and  denies  the  authority  of  any  foreign  Prince,  Person, 
Prelate,  State  or  Potentate  within  this  realm.  The  third  is  much 
longer,  and  a  more  inclusive  or  stringent  protestation  and  promise  of 
loyalty  could  hardly  be  devised  or  formulated  in  English  words.  It 
acknowledges  and  professes,  testifies  and  declares,  before  God  and  the 
world,  that  King  George  is  rightful  King  of  this  realm  and  all  other 
his  Majesties  dominions  and  countries  hereunto  belonging:  abjiires 
the  Pretender,  pledges  support  to  the  succession  of  the  ciown  in   the 


Ill 

Princess  Sophia  and  tlie  heirs  of  her  body,  being  Protestants,  and 
avows— "that  I  will  bear  faithful  and  true  allegiance  to  his  Majesty 
King  George,  and  him  will  defend  to  the  utmost  of  my  power  against 
all  traitorous  conspiracies  and  attempts  whatsoever  which  shall  be 
made  against  his  person,  crown  or  dignity;  and  I  will  do  my  utmost 
to  endeavour  to  disclose  and  make  known  to  his  Majesty  and  his  suc- 
cessors all  treasonable  and  traitorous  conspiracies  which  I  shall  know 
to  be  against  him,  or  any  of  them — and  all  other  these  things  do  I 
plainly  and  sincerely  acknowledge  and  swear,  according  to  these  ex- 
press words  by  me  spoken,  and  according  to  the  plain  and  common- 
sense  understanding  of  the  same  words,  without  any  equivocation, 
mental  evasion,  or  secret  reservation  whatsoever;  and  I  do  make  this 
recognition,  acknowledgment,  abjuration,  renunciation,  and  promise 
heartily,  willingly  and  truly,  upon  the  true  faith  of  a  Christian.  So 
help  me  God." 

By  the  English  statute  these  oaths  were  to  be  taken  by  all  persons 
bearing  any  office,  civil  or  military,  and  "all  ecclesiastical  persons," 
including  preachers.  In  Virginia  they  were  required  of  burgesses, 
judges  and  justices,  attorneys,  military  officers,  &c.,  as  well  as  vestry- 
men. It  is  a  little  startling  at  first  blush  to  remember  that  these 
oaths  were  taken,  not  once  only,  but  again  and  again,  by  Washington, 
Mason,  Henry,  Jefferson  and  the  rest  up  to  the  very  outbreak  of  the 
Revolution.  Yet  the  judgment  of  mankind  has  never  held  them  guilty 
of  violation  of  troth;  and  this  not  because  "If  it  succeeds  it  is  not 
treason,"  but  because  the  oath  implied  a  corresponding  obligation  on 
the  part  of  the  King  to  bear  himself  kingly  and  to  be  true  on  his  own 
part.  The  Bill  of  Rights  and  the  Declaration  of  Independence  will  be 
read  in  a  new  light  when  it  is  remembered  that  they  were  written, 
adopted  and  defended  by  honest  men  with  these  solemn  avowals  vividly 
before  their  minds  and  consciences. 

Having  thus  protested  in  due  form  his  loyalty  and  his  orthodoxy, 
Washington  took  his  place  as  one  of  the  "twelve  most  able  and  dis- 
creet men  of  the  Parish,"  whom  the  old  statutes  required  to  form  the 
vestry.  Both  this  and  the  succeeding  vestry  were  composed  of  men 
who  were  his  political  and  social  peers  as  well  as  his  friends.  A 
number  of  them  sat  with  him  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  or  as  Gentle- 
men Justices  on  the  County  Bench.  Several  bore  or  had  borne  a  mil- 
itary commission.  Most  of  them  were,  like  himself,  large  planters; 
some  being  his  near  neighbors  on  the  river  and  some  having  newer  and 


112 

less  pretentious  seats  in  the  upper  parts  of  the  county.  The  vestry- 
seems  to  have  met  statedly  twice  a  year,  and  at  other  times  a;-  occa- 
sion demanded.  The  meetings  were  usually  held  at  one  ol"  the  churches, 
but  occasionally  at  the  house  of  one  or  another  of  the  vestrymen;  and 
sometimes  they  lasted  two  or  three  days.  Attendance  upon  these 
meetings  from  Mount  Vernon  involved  a  ride,  going  and  returning, 
of  from  fourteen  to  forty  miles.  The  vestry  records  attest,  however, 
the  regularity  with  which  Colonel  Washington  was  present;  and  when 
it  is  remembered  how  frequently  his  public  duties  and  private  inter- 
ests took  him  out  of  the  county  one  is  readily  convinced  that  he 
brought  to  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  this  office  the  same  consci- 
entious purpose  and  fidelity  which  marked  his  career  in  more  con- 
spicuous stations.  In  his  diary,  though  kept  irregularly  during  this 
period,  there  are  frequent  references  to  his  attending  vestry  meetings, 
such  as  the  following: 

1768.  "July  16.  Went  by  Muddy  Hole  and  Doeg  Run  to  the  Vestry  at 
Pohick  church  stayed  there  till  half  after  3  ocloek  &  only  4  members 
coming  returned  by  Captn.  McCartys  &  dined  there." 

"Septr.  9.  Proceeded   (from  Alexandria)  to  the  meeting  of  our  Vestry 
at  the  new  Church    (Payne's)   and  lodged  at  Captn.  Edwd.  Payne's." 
"Nov.  28.  Went  to  the  Vestry  at  Pohick  Church." 

1769.  "Mar.  3.  Went  to  the  Vestry  at  Pohick  Church  and  returned 
abt  11  oclock  at  night." 

"Sept.  21.  Capt.  Posey  called  here  in  the  morning  &  we  went  to 
a  Vestry." 

1772.  "June  5.  Met  the  Vestry  at  our  new  Church  &  came  home  in 
the  afternoon." 

1774.  "Feb.  15.  I  went  to  a  Vestry  at  the  new  Church  &  returned 
in  ye  afternoon." 

It  is  pleasant  to  find  George  Mason,  in  writing  to  his  neighbor  and 
friend  at  Mount  Vernon  on  a  matter  regarding  organized  opposition 
to  the  Stamp  Act,  adding  a  postscript  to  remind  him  that  "next  Friday 
is  appointed  for  a  meeting  of  the  Vestry." 

The  duties  of  the  vestry  were,  first  of  all,  in  the  fall  of  each  year, 
to  estimate  their  probable  expenses  and  to  lay  the  parish  levy  of  so 
many  pounds  of  tobacco  upon  each  "tithable"  of  the  parish  (every 
male  white  person  and  every  colored  person,  male  and  female,  above 
sixteen  years  of  age,  with  a  few  exceptions,  being  tithable)  ;  and  to 
appoint  a  collector,  usually  the  county  sheriff,  and  to  take  his  bond. 


113 

The  levy  was  to  be  collected  before  the  following  April,  and  was  usu- 
ally paid  in  warehouse  notes  or  receipts  for  tobacco.  From  this  all 
parish  charges  were  paid,  and  first  the  minister's  salary  of  1,600  pounds 
of  tobacco,  with  allowance  for  cask  and  shrinkage,  which  made  over 
1,000  pounds  more.  As  compared  with  our  country  clergymen  of  to- 
day, the  Colonial  parson  was  well  paid  when  tobacco  brought  a  fair 
price.  Even  at  the  rate  of  two  pence  a  pound,  at  which  the  salaries 
were  compounded  for  the  scarce  year  of  1758,  four  years'  salary  would 
build  a  large  brick  church.  The  vestry  were  required  to  provide  a 
glebe  for  the  minister,  with  convenient  housing  thereon,  which  he  had 
to  keep  in  repair.  They  had  also  to  build  suflflcient  churches  and 
chapels  for  the  parish,  to  provide  necessary  books  and  ornaments, 
and  keep  all  in  good  condition.  They  employed  lay  readers,  and  chose 
their  own  ministers,  their  right  of  "presentation"  being  assured  by 
law  for  one  year  after  a  vacancy  occurred,  but  in  practice  being  unlim- 
ited. They  also  provided  for  the  poor  of  the  parish  and  when  neces- 
sary built  a  poor-house  or  work-house.  They  ordered  out  hands  to 
work  the  public  roads,  and  once  in  four  years  appointed  commissioners 
to  oversee  the  "processioning"  of  the  bounds  of  lands  in  their  parish 
and  renewing  the  landmarks,  and  put  their  returns  upon  record. 

The  Church  wardens  were  generally  the  executive  and  accounting 
officers  of  the  vestry,  having  oversight  of  the  church  buildings  and 
making  repairs,  and  being  charged  with  the  relief  of  the  poor  and 
binding  out  orphans  and  indigent  children  as  apprentices,  making  care- 
ful provision  for  their  moral  training  and  a  meagre  education.  They 
had  also  to  present  to  the  court  or  grand  jury  persons  guilty  of  Sab- 
bath breaking,  of  not  attending  church,  or  disturbing  public  worship, 
of  drunkenness,  profane  swearing,  and  other  more  serious  immoralities, 
and  to  receive  the  fines  imposed  in  certain  cases  for  the  use  of  the  par- 
ish. Church  wardens  were  elected  each  year;  and  in  Truro  the  more 
prominent  or  more  willing  vestrymen  seem  to  have  served  in  some 
sort  of  rotation.  Washington  held  this  oflSce  for  three  terms  at  least 
within  ten  years.  The  vestries  on  which  he  served  were  active  and 
efficient  bodies,  doubtless  unusually  so,  and  the  indications  are  that 
he  bore  his  full  share  of  their  work.  Yet  one  may  assume  that  those 
long  vestry  meetings  were  not  wholly  given  to  discussion  of  parish 
affairs.  We  can  imagine  Washington,  newly  returned  from  the  As- 
sembly of  1772,  telling  Parson  Massey  of  the  warm  and  lengthy  de- 
bate in  the  Burgesses  on  the  expediency  of  an  American  Episcopate, 


114 

as  he  wrote  of  it  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Boucher,  of  Port  Royal.  He  and  the 
far-seeing  Mason  would,  perhaps,  be  already  discussing  the  possibility 
of  disestablishment  in  case  of  a  break  with  the  Mother  Country,  the 
latter  advocating  it,  the  former  maintaining  that  religion  must  be  sup- 
ported by  taxation,  but  willing  that  tithes  paid  by  dissenters  should 
go  to  the  support  of  their  own  churches.  And  in  those  stirring  days, 
when  such  men  as  George  Mason,  the  radical,  George  Washington, 
the  conservative,  and  George  William  Fairfax,  the  staunch  loyalist,  came 
together,  we  may  be  sure  there  were  other  matters  which  received 
grave  consideration  beside  the  laying  of  parish  levies  and  the  Ijuilding 
of  churches. 

In  the  Library  of  Congress  there  is  preserved,  among  the  journals 
and  other  manuscript  papers  of  General  Washington,  a  single 
halfsheet  of  foolscap  written  on  both  sides  in  his  most  formal 
and  precise  hand  and  style.  The  paper  gives  the  resuits  of  four 
elections  of  vestrymen  held  in  Fairfax  county  in  the  months  of  March 
and  July,  1765.  Each  page  is  divided  into  two  'columns.  The  first 
column  on  the  first  page  is  headed,  "Vestry  chosen  for  Truro  Parisji, 
25th  March  1765,  with  the  number  of  votes  to  each."  Below  the  names 
of  the  twelve  vestrymen  elected  is  the  sub-heading,  "Candidates  then 
rejected,"  followed  by  sixteen  more  names.  The  second  column  has 
the  same  heading  and  sub-heading,  except  that  Fairfax  (parish)  is 
substituted  for  Truro,  and  the  date  is  28th  March,  1765.  On  the  sec- 
ond page  the  two  columns  are  respectively  headed  in  precisely  the 
same  manner  except  that  the  date  over  the  first,  for  Truro,  is  22d 
July,  1765,  and  over  the  second,  for  Fairfax,  is  25th  July,  1765.  The 
four  columns  contain  a  total  of  eighty-nine  names,  and  each  name 
is  followed  by  the  number  of  votes  received  except  in  the  case  of  the 
rejected  candidates  in  the  first  election  in  Truro,  and  one  in  the  first 
in  Fairfax.  At  the  bottom  of  the  second  page  the  total  number  of 
votes  received  in  each  parish  in  their  July  election  is  divided  by  twelve, 
and  the  quotient  is  followed  by  the  words,  "Number  of  Votes."  This 
gives  the  key  to  the  meaning  of  the  paper.  Incidentally  it  also  shows 
that  on  March  28th,  Col.  George  Washington  was  chosen  a  vestryman 
of  Fairfax  parish,  being  fifth  on  the  list  and  receiving  274  votes,  and 
was  not  voted  for  at  all  in  Truro;  and  that  on  July  22d  of  the  same 
year  he  was  chosen  for  the  same  office  in  Truro  parish,  being  third 
on  the  list  and  receiving  259  votes,  and  was  not  voted  for  in  Fairfax. 

This  interesting  sheet  fell  into  the  hands  of  Jared   Sparks,   the  la- 


115 

boiious  but  not  always  judicious  first  editor  of  Washington's  writings, 
wlio,  not  understanding  its  import,  publislied  tlie  lists  of  the  two  ves- 
tries elected  in  which  Washington's  name  appears  and  suppressed  all 
the  rest;  deducing  therefrom  the  fact,  "that  he  was  chosen  a  vestry- 
man in  each  of  those  parishes,"  but  adding,  "How  long  he  continued 
in  that  station  I  have  no  means  of  determining."  (See  his  Life  of 
Washington,  p.  518,  and  Writings  of  Washington,  Vol.  XII.,  p.  400.) 
Following  his  lead,  with  an  almost  unvarying  monotony  later  writers 
who  have  touched  upon  the  matter  (and  they  are  many),  have  asserted 
that  Washington  was  a  vestryman  in  both  Fairfax  and  Truro  parishes. 
Prof.  James  A.  Harrison,  in  his  recent  work,  is,  however,  an  excep- 
tion. Bishop  Meade,  evidently  puzzled,  copies  from  Sparks  without 
comment.  (Old  Churches,  etc.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  270.)  But  even  such  wri- 
ters as  Dr.  Slaughter  and  Dr.  J.  M.  Tun  or  have  fallen  into  the  snare. 
It  will  be  interesting,  then,  to  sift  this  matter  out,  and  see  how  far  it 
is  true  that  Washington  held  this  office  in  both  parishes,  whether  at 
the  same  or  at  different  times. 

For  years  prior  to  the  final  division  of  Truro  in  1765,  there  had  ex- 
isted some  dissatisfaction  as  to  the  conduct  of  parochial  affairs,  as  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  as  early  as  1761  petitions  were  presented  to 
the  county  court,  and  ordered  certified  to  the  General  Assembly,  pray- 
ing that  the  vestry  be  dissolved,  and  also  that  the  parish  be  divided. 
This  dissatisfaction  may  have  arisen  in  the  Southwestern  section  of 
the  country,  where  lived  a  number  of  infiuential  gentlemen,  who  had 
no  church  in  their  neighborhood  and,  apparently,  no  representation  on 
the  vestry.  At  all  events  we  find  that  in  November,  1764,  a  petition 
was  presented  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  praying  for  a  division  of 
Truro  into  two  distinct  parishes,  and  it  was  "Ordered,  that  a  Bill  be 
brought  in  agreeable  to  the  prayer  of  the  said  petitioners,  and  it  is  re- 
ferred to  Mr.  George  Johnston  and  Mr.  John  West  to  prepare  and  bring 
in  the  same."  Messrs.  Johnston  and  West  were  the  Burgesses  from 
Fairfax,  and  both  lived  in  what  was  to  be  the  new  parish.  It  was  but 
natural  that  these  distinguished  gentlemen  should  wish  their  parish 
to  be  strong,  and  certainly  the  Bill  which  they  drew,  and  which  was 
passed  within  one  week,  gave  to  the  new  parish  of  Fairfax  the  lion's 
share  of  the  spoils.  The  division  took  effect  February  1,  1765.  by  a 
line  running  up  Doeg  creek  to  Mr.  George  Washington's  mill  and  thence 
northwesterly  to  the  plantation  of  John  Munroe  and  on  to  the  Loudoun 
county  line.     This  put  Mount  Vernon  and  several  large  adjoining  plan- 


116 

tations  into  the  new  parish,  separating  them  from  Pohick,  the  only- 
church  left  in  Truro,  to  which  they  naturally  belonged,  both  from 
proximity  and  association.  The  act  is  found  in  Hening,  Vol.  VIII.,  p. 
43.  Under  it  were  held  the  elections  of  March  25th  and  28th,  when 
Washington  was  cliosen  a  vestryman  of  Fairfax  parish,  in  which  he 
was  a  resident. 

That  this  parish  was  ever  organized,  or  that  this  vestry  ever  met  or 
even  qualified  there  is  not  a  line  of  record  to  show,  and  it  is  in  a  high 
degree  improbable.  The  next  court,  the  first  at  which  they  would  have 
to  take  the  oaths,  met  on  the  third  Monday  in  April,  but  its  records 
are  lost.  But  the  manifestly  unfair  division  was  meeting  with  per- 
sistent opposition.  When  the  House  of  Burgesses  met  again  on  the 
1st  of  May,  petitions  and  counter-petitions,  which  must  have  taken 
some  time  to  prepare,  came  pouring  in  from  Truro  praying  for  a  new 
division  on  lines  therein  proposed,  and  from  Fairfax,  suggesting  still 
other  lines  if  a  new  division  was  to  be  had.  On  May  14th  these  were 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Propositions  and  Grievances  with  in- 
structions to  "examine  into  the  allegations  thereof,  and  report  the 
same,  with  their  opinion  thereupon,  to  the  House."  Of  this  commit- 
tee, Mr.  Johnson,  of  Fairfax,  and  Mr.  Washington,  who  at  that  time 
represented  Frederick  county,  were  members.  The  committee  on  the 
next  day  reported  two  propositions,  the  first  of  which,  based  on  the 
petition  from  Truro,  was  rejected,  and  the  committee  were  instructed 
to  bring  in  a  Bill  pursuant  to  the  second,  granting  a  new  division,  but 
on  lines  asked  for  by  sundry  inhabitants  of  the  parish  of  Fairfax.  The 
Bill  was  presented,  recommitted,  reported  again  with  amendments, 
passed  May  22d,  agreed  to  by  the  council,  and  signed  by  the  Governor 
June  1st,  so  becoming  a  law  on  that  date.  (See  the  Journal  of  That 
Session  of  the  Burgesses,  and,  for  the  Act,  Hening,  Vol.  VIII.,  p.  157. 
But  note  that  the  running  title  at  the  head  of  the  page  in  Hening  is 
misleading  as  to  the  date.)  The  preamble  recites  that  the  former  act 
"made  a  very  unequal  division  of  the  parish,  by  leaving  nearly  double 
the  number  of  tithables  in  the  new  parish  of  Fairfax  that  there  are 
in  Truro  parish,"  and  proceeds  to  repeal  that  act  in  toto,  and  to  pro- 
vide for  the  formation  of  a  new  parish  of  Fairfax  to  date  from  June 
7.  17r,5;  the  line  to  run  up  Little  Hunting  creek  to  the  Gum  Spring 
thereon,  thence  to  the  ford  over  Dogue  Run.  where  the  back  road  from 
Colchester  to  Alexandria  crosses,  thence  liy  a  straight  line  to  the  forks 
of  Difficult,  the  Loudoun  line.     By  this  act.  which  is  drawn  with  un- 


117 

usual  minuteness  of  detail  and  seems  to  bear  the  marks  of  his  own 
hand,  Washington  and  his  neighbors  seated  on  the  neck  between  Doeg, 
or  Dogue  creek,  on  the  south,  and  Little  Hunting  creek,  on  the  north, 
were  restored  to  Truro;  and  at  the  new  elections  held  under  its  pro- 
visions, July  22d  and  25th,  he  was  again  chosen  a  vestryman  for  his 
old  parish  of  Truro,  in  which  now  he  resided,  as  was  also  Captain 
John  Posey,  who  had  been  chosen  with  him  in  March  for  Fairfax 
parish. 

The  purpose  of  the  paper  which  Washington  took  such  pains  to  pre- 
pare, showing  the  results  of  the  March,  and  afterwards  of  the  July 
elections  of  the  vestry,  may  now  be  readily  understood  in  the  light  of 
the  statement  in  the  preamble  of  the  above  act  that  the  first  division 
was  "very  unequal."  The  first  page  shows  at  a  glance  that  there  were 
about  100  more  voters  in  Fairfax  than  in  Truro  at  the  March  elections. 
As  these  voters  were  freeholders,  and,  with  their  employees  and  slaves, 
were  tithables,  this  meant  a  great  deal.  The  second  elections,  however, 
give  a  different  showing,  and  the  calculation  made  by  himself  indi- 
cates a  difference  of  only  twenty-one  voters  in  the  two  parishes.  No 
doubt  he  was  gratified  to  find  the  new  line  of  division  so  satisfactory 
in   this   regard. 

We  find,  then,  that  for  two  months  and  three  days  Washington  was 
a  vestryman-elect  of  the  first  parish  of  Fairfax,  the  nominal  life  of 
that  parish  being  exactly  four  months;  that  the  vestry  could  not 
have  qualified  until  about  three  weeks  after  their  election,  before 
which  time  numerous  petitions  must  have  been  in  circulation,  making 
it  probable  that  a  new  parish  would  be  formed  and  a  new  election  or- 
dered almost  immediately,  and  that  within  ten  days  thereafter  Wash- 
ington was  probably  on  his  way  to  Williamsburg  to  take  part  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this.  In  the  absence  of  any  direct  evidence  it  is 
not  probable  that  he  ever  qualified  or  acted  as  vestryman  of  that 
parish. 

That  he  was  never  a  vestryman  in  the  second,  or  present,  Fairfax 
parish  the  vestry  book  itself  is  a  sufficient  witness.  The  fact  that 
when  means  were  lacking  to  finish  Christ  church  in  Alexandria,  he 
joined  with  certain  gentlemen,  who  were  vestrymen  there,  in  subscrib- 
ing for  pews  in  the  church,  has  been  thought  to  indicate  the  contrary; 
but  in  a  letter  of  February  15,  1773,  to  Captain  John  Dalton,  a  vestry- 
man of  that  church,  he  writes  indignantly  of  a  proposition  he  under- 
stands  was   being  considered   by   "your  Vestry"   to    return    these   sub- 


118 

scriptions  and  reclaim  the  pews,  and  "as  a  parishioner"  and  "as  a 
subscriber,  who  meant  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  family  pew  in  the 
new  church,"  he  protests  against  it.  He,  however,  attended  this 
church  frequently  before  the  Revolution  and  regularly  after  his  re- 
turn to  Mount  Vernon,  Pohick  being  then  closed. 

The  new  vestry  of  Truro  found  much  to  engage  their  attention.  The 
glebe  and  buildings  and  the  church  plate  were  to  be  appraised  l:)y  cer- 
tain appointed  commissioneis  and  their  value  apportioned  between 
the  two  parishes  in  proportion  to  their  number  of  tithables,  and  also 
fifty  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco,  which  had  been  collected  for  build- 
ing churches.  Eighteen  months  after  the  division  they  were  still  ac- 
counting to  the  other  parish  for  collections  made  for  the  rebuilding  of 
Falls  church,  which  had  been  ordered  just  after  Washington  firtt  be- 
came a  vestryman.  As  a  Churchwarden  at  this  time,  he  would  have 
his  full  share  in  this  business.  But  the  larger  work  to  which  they 
devoted  their  immediate  efforts  was  the  erection  of  the  "Upper 
Church,"  or  Payne's  church,  as  it  was  long  afterwards  known  from  the 
name  of  its  builder,  in  the  western  section  of  the  parish,  which  until 
now  had  been  without  a  church  building.  The  site  of  this  church  is 
two  miles  south  of  the  present  Fairfax  Courthouse,  immediately  on 
the  road  to  Fairfax  station,  in  what  was  then  but  a  thinly  settled  part 
of  the  country.  It  speaks  well  for  Washington  and  his  fellow-vestry- 
men on  the  river  that  they  should  have  taxed  themselves  heavily  to 
build  so  substantial  and  handsome  a  church  in  what  must  have  been 
almost  the  backwoods,  deferring  meanwhile  the  rebuilding  of  their 
own  Pohick  church.     The  vestry  records  tell  the  story: 

"At  a  Vestry  held  for  Truro  parish,  the  28th.  29th  and  liOth  days  of 
November,  1765.  Present,  Mr.  Edw.  Payne,  Colo.  Geo.  Washington, 
Capt.  Posey,  Capt.  Daniel  McCarty,  Colo.  Geo.  William  Fairfax,  Mr. 
William  Gardner,  Mr.  Thos.  Withers  Coffer,  Mr.  William  Linton,  Mr. 
Thomas  Ford  and  Mr.  Alex.  Henderson.  Ordered  that  the  vestry  meet 
at  Mr.  William  Gardner's  on  the  first  Monday  in  February  next,  in 
order  to  agree  with  workmen  to  undeitake  the  building  of  a  brick 
church,  to  contain  1,G00  superficial  feet.  And  ihat  the  church  wardens 
advertise  the  same  in  as  publick  a  manner  as  may  be." 

"At  a  Vestry  held  for  Truro  Parish  at  Mr.  William  Gardner's  on  the 
3d.  and  4th.  days  of  February,  1766.  Present  (as  above  except  Capt. 
Posey),  who  being  there  met  to  inquire  the  most  convenient  place  to 
erect  a  new  church  and  to  agree  with  the  Workmen  to  Build  the  same — 


119 

Resolv'd  that  the  new  Church  be  built  on  the  Middle  Ridge  near  the 
Ox  Road,  the  ground  to  be  laid  off  by  Mr.  Edward  Payne,  Mr.  \Vm. 
Gardner,  Mr.  Thos.  Withers  Coffer  and  Mr.  Thos.  Ford,  or  any  three 
of  them  on  the  land  supposed  to  be  belonging  to  Mr.  Thomazen  Ellzey, 
who,  being  present,  consents  to  the  same."  (Mr.  Ellzey  was  a  vestry- 
man-elect, but  perhaps  had  not  qualified.  The  remaining  member  was 
Col.  George  Mason.) 

"Agreeable  to  a  Plan  and  Article  annexed  thereto  Mr.  Edward  Payne 
hath  undertaken  to  build  the  said  Church  for  the  sum  of  Five  hundred 
.and  seventy-n'ne  Pounds  Virginia  Currency." 

"Ordered  t^it  Mr.  Edward  Payne  pay  to  Mr.  John  Ayres  forty  shil- 
lings for  his  plan  and  estimate." 

"Ordered  that  Colo.  Geo.  Washington,  Capt.  Daniel  McCarty,  Colo. 
Geo.  Wm.  Fairfax,  Mr.  Alex.  Henderson,  &  Mr.  Tho.  Ford,  or  any  three 
of  them,  do  view  and  examine  the  said  building  from  time  to  time  as 
shall  be  required." 

There  follows  the  "Memorandum  of  Agreement"  between  Capt.  Payne 
;and  the  vestry,  which  only  lack  of  space  forbids  publishing  in  full  as 
a  model.  The  building  was  to  be  53 V^  by  30  feet  in  the  clear,  the 
walls  22  feet  high;  "to  be  built  of  good  bricks,  well  burnt,  of  the  ordi- 
nary size,  that  is,  nine  inches  long,  four  &  an  half  inches  broad  &  3 
inches  thick,  the  outside  bricks  to  be  laid  in  mortar  two-thirds  lime 
and  %  sand,  the  inside  Bricks  to  be  laid  with  mortar  half  lime  &  half 
sand.  The  corners  of  the  House,  the  Windows  and  the  Doors  to  be  of 
rubied  brick.  The  arches  and  Pediment  heads  of  the  Doors  and  Win- 
dows to  be  of  bricks  rubbed,  gauged  and  set  in  Putty.  The  Window 
;and  Door  frames  to  be  made  with  double  Archatraves.— The  lies  to  be 
aaid  with  Brick  Tyle.— To  have  an  Altar  Piece  sixteen  feet  high  and 
twelve  feet  wide,  and  done  with  wainscot  after  the  Ionic  order. — The 
Puli-it,  Canopy  &  reading  Desks  to  be  of  black  Walnut,  wainscoted 
-with  proper  Cornish.  The  Gallery  to  be  supported  by  Collumns  turned 
.&  fluted,  to  come  out  as  far  as  the  second  window  at  the  West  end  of 
the  Church,  to  have  a  wainscoted  front,  &  to  have  four  seats  raised 
■one  behind  and  above  another."  The  flooring  was  to  be  l^-j  inches 
thick.  Pews  to  be  wainscoted  with  pine  plank  li..  inches  thick,  "dou- 
lle  work  on  each  side  of  the  framing  and  raised  pannel  on  one  side." 
Chancel  rail  and  banisters  of  walnut.  "The  roof  to  be  covered  with 
inch  pine  plank,  cyp(h)ered  &  lapt  one  &  an  half  inches,  and  to  be 
Shingled   with    good    Cypress   shingles    twenty    inches   in    length,   &   to 


120 

show  six  inches."  The  church  couui  hardly  be  built  at  this  .day.  if  at 
all,  for  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars.  Capt.  Payne  was  given  two 
yeais  and  eight  months  to  complete  it;  and  it  was  received  by  the 
Vestry  three  weeks  ahead  of  contract  time.  Before  it  was  finished  a 
"Vestry  House"  was  ordered  to  be  built  in  the  churchyard,  to  be  of 
brick,  twenty  by  sixteen  feet  in  the  clear.  Later  the  churchyard  was 
ordered    inclosed   with   posts  and    rails. 

The  after  history  of  Payne's  church  is  the  same  sad  story  as  that  of 
so  many  of  its  contemporaries.  During  the  dark  days  which  followed 
the  Revolution  it  was  used  probably  very  occasionally  at  first,  and  was 
finally  abandoned,  for  the  lack,  as  we  imagine,  cf  a  minister,  rather 
than  of  a  congregation,  for  dissent  does  not  appear  to  have  been  rife 
in  this  parish.  About  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  it  was  occti- 
pied  by  the  Baptists,  and  upon  the  division  in  that  denomination  about 
1840,  the  Jerusalem  Baptist  church  (New  School),  was  organized  in 
the  btiilding  and  continued  to  use  it  until  1862.  A  faded  photograph, 
taken  in  18G1,  shows  an  attractive  church  in  good  preservation,  with 
high  arched  windows  and  massive  hipped  roof.  In  the  winter  of 
18G2-(j3  a  Federal  army  was  encamped  in  the  vicinity,  and  by  them 
the  church  was  torn  down,  brick  by  brick,  and  the  material  used  to 
build  chimneys  and  hearths  for  their  winter  quarters.  The  old  grave- 
stones in  the  churcliyard,  which  was  a  large  and  very  old  burying- 
giound,  probably  shared  the  same  fate,  as  only  two  or  three  remain. 
A  small  frame  Baptist  church  now  covers  part  of  the  site.  Of  the  old 
Payne's  church  naught  remains  but  a  heap  of  rubbish,  from  which 
may  yet  be  taken  pieces  of  brick,  rough  but  exceedingly  hard  and  "well 
burnt,"  with  the  "mortar,  two-thirds  lime  and  one-third  sand,"  still 
clinging  to  them  to  attest,  after  an  hundred  and  forty  years,  the  hon- 
est workmanship  of  Captain  Edward  Payne,  Chuix-hwardeu  and  Church- 
builder. 

Unlike  many  of  our  Colonial  churches  which  fell  into  other  hands, 
the  interior  of  Payne's  escaped  alteration  or  so-called  improvement. 
Those  who  recall  the  building  remember  well  the  square  pews,  the 
lofty  pulpit  with  its  "canopy"  or  sounding  board  against  the  south 
wall,  and  the  reading  desk  and  (probably)  Clark's  desk  below,  and  the 
chancel  and  high  "Altar-Piece"  at  the  east  end.  The  silver  Communion 
service  belonging  to  this  church  was  restored  to  the  Rev.  W.  F.  Loclv- 
wood  about  1815  by  an  old  lady  living  in  the  neighborhood,  and  was 
presented  by  him  to  St.  .John's  church.  Centerville.  where  it  is  still  in 
use. 


121 

To  return  to  the  old  Vestry:  No  sooner  was  Payne's  church  com- 
pleted than  the  building  of  a  new  church  at  Pohick  was  undertaken; 
the  story  of  which,  and  of  Washington's  large  part  therein,  will  doubt- 
less be  told  by  a  more  capable  pen  in  another  paper.  Until  called  to 
the  North  in  the  service  of  his  country,  Washington  continued  in  ac- 
tive and  untiring  service  as  a  vestryman,  and  nominally  held  the  office 
during  the  Revolutionary  war. 

But  in  a  letter  to  his  self  exiled  friend.  Colonel  Fairfax,  written  from 
New  York  July  10,  1783,  he  says:  "I  have  been  in  the  State  (Vir- 
ginia) but  once  since  the  4th  of  May,  1775,  and  that  was  at  the  siege 
of  York.  In  going  thither  I  spent  one  day  at  my  own  house,  and  in 
returning  took  three  or  four  days,  but  I  attended  to  no  business." 

During  the  Revolution  the  vestry  met  irregularly  and  vacancies  re- 
mained unfilled.  After  the  war  an  effort  was  made  to  revive  it  and  fill 
its  ranks,  and  in  this  connection  the  vestry  book  states  that  on  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1784,  "John  Gibson,  Gent,  is  elected  a  Vestryman  for  this 
Parish  in  the  room  of  his  Excellency  General  Washington  who  has 
signified  his  resignation  in  a  letter  to  Danl.  Mc.  Carty  Esq." 

But  the  times  were  out  of  joint  for  the  old  vestries  of  the  Estab- 
lishment, and  they  were  soon  left  without  business,  without  income, 
and  worst  of  all,  in  most  cases,  without  ministers;  in  which  event  the 
revival  of  the  Church  seemed  hopeless.  The  church  in  Alexandria 
survived  and  gathered  in  many  of  the  country  families,  but  the  old 
Truro  vestry  held  its  last  recorded  meeting  at  Colchester  January 
27,  1785.  The  next  entry  in  the  vestry  book  is  made  by  the  Overseers 
of  the  Poor,  who  continued  to  use  it  for  their  records  until  September, 
1802.  and  for  more  than  half  a  century  old  Truro  remained  dormant. 


POHICK    CHURCH,   TRURO   PARISH,  FAIRFAX 
COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

I!Y  TIIK  REV.    SAMIKL   A.    WALLIS,    KIXTOK  FKOM    1881   TO   1891. 

-       /;:=\\    ^^   POHICK  CHURCH,"  as  it  is  familiarly  and  affectionate- 
00/(     \  A     jy  called  by  the  people  of  the  vicinity,  stands  out  as  one 


of  the  historical  landmarks  not  only  of  Virginia,  but  also 
of  the  nation.  It  is  pre-eminently  the  parish  church  of 
Mount  Vernon,  and'shares  the  honor  with  Old  Christ  church,  Alexan- 
\ria,  of  being  intimately  associated  with  the  religious  life  and  worship 
of  Washington.  It  was  also  the  parish  church  of  another  notable  and 
noble  figure  of  the  Revolution,  the  celebrated  George  Mason,  of  Gun- 
Bton  Hall,  the  author  of  the  Bill  of  Rights  of  Virginia.  The  associa- 
tion of  two  such  immortal  names  with  the  history  of  "Old  Pohick" 
justly  entitles  it  to  a  foremost  place  among  the  -ecclesiastical  edifices 
of  this  land. 

The  present  church,  a  commodious  and  solid  structure,  built  of  brick 
with  stone  dressings  in  the  style  of  the  Georgian  period,  so  common 
in  the  churches  erected  during  the  last  half  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
is  the  second  church  built  in  the  lower  part  of  Truro  Parish.  Its 
predecessor  was  a  simple  frame  edifice,  situated  two  miles  nearer  Gun- 
ston  Hall,  on  the  south  side  of  Pohick  Run,  from  which  the  church 
derives  its  name. 

Fortunately  for  the  history  of  the  parish,  the  late  venerable  Rev.  Dr. 
Philip  Slaughter,  historiographer  of  the  Diocese  of  Virginia,  recovered 
the  old  vestry  book  from  some  one  in  the  North  for  the  sum  of  twenty 
dollars,  about  twenty  years  ago.  The  vestry  of  Pohick  gladly  paid  this 
amount  to  Dr.  Slaughter,  and  counts  this  old  volume,  now  deposited 
at  Mount  Vernon  for  safe-keeping,  as  amongst  its  most  valued  posses- 
sions." Before  the  book  was  acquired  by  the  vestry  Dr.  Slaughter  added 
to  his  valuable  parish  histories,  already  written,  the  history  of  Truro 
parish,  of  course  taking  this  invaluable  record  of  fifty-three  years  as 
the  basis  of  his  work.  This  is  still  in  manuscript,  in  the  hands  of  the 
writer  of  the  present  article,  who  confidently  hopes  that  the  rapidly 
reviving  interest  in  the  antiquities  of  Virginia  may  soon  give  him  the 
long  desired  opportunity  of  publishing  this  important  contribution  to 
the  history  of  the  Diocese  and  State. 


123 

The  first  record  in  the  vestry  book  goes  back  to  May,  1732,  when  the 
parish  of  Truro  was,  by  Act  of  Assembly,  formed  from  Hamilton  Par- 
ish, which  was  coterminous  with  what  was  then  Prince  William  coun- 
ty, "extending  from  Chappawamsick  Creek  and  Deep  Run  along  the 
Potomac  to  the  great  mountains."  Truro  Parish  took  off  the  part 
bounded  by  Occoquan  River,  Bull  Run,  a  branch  thereof  (so  well 
known  during  the  Civil  War),  and  thence  by  a  line  extending  to  the 
Indian  Thoroughfare  (Ashby's  Gap),  thence  along  the  Blue  Ridge  to 
the  Potomac  river,  and  down  that  river  to  the  mouth  of  Occoquan. 
This  territory  now  comprises  Truro,  Upper  Truro,  Cameron,  Fairfax 
and  Shelburne  parishes.  There  was  a  church  building  already  ^t  Oc- 
coquan, in  Hamilton  Parish,  where  the  earliest  meetings  of  the  Truro 
vestry  were  held  until  the  first  Pohick  church,  the  frame  building  al- 
ready mentioned,  was  built  within  the  limits  of  Truro  Parish,  about 
four  miles  from  the  town  of  Occoquan,  and  four  miles  from  Gunstou 
Hall,  on  the  ridge  of  land  between  Occoquan  River  and  Pohick  Run. 

The  first  minister  of  the  parish  was  the  Rev.  Lawrence  de  Butts, 
who,  however,  did  not  remain  long  in  charge.  He  was  engaged  for 
only  one  year,  to  preach  three  times  a  month  at  Occoquan  church, 
then  in  Hamilton  Parish,  at  the  new  church  (or  Mr.  Gunwell's),  by 
which,  I  think,  was  meant  Payne's  church,  near  the  present  town  of 
Fairfax,  and  at  the  "chapelle"  above  Goose  Creek,  at  the  sum  of  8,000 
pounds  of  tobacco,  clear  of  the  warehouse  charges  and  abatements, 
with  the  proviso  that  if  he  were  prevented  by  the  weather,  or  other- 
wise fails  to  preach  at  any  of  the  times  or  places  aforesaid,  tobacco 
shall  only  be  levied  for  him  in  proportion  to  his  services.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  note  that  the  first  lay  reader  in  the  parish,  elected  at  a  ves- 
try meeting  held  on  the  12th  of  October,  1733,  was  Joseph  Johnson, 
who  was  to  receive  1.300  pounds  of  tobacco,  provided  he  did  his  duty 
in  his  ofiice. 

On  November  18,  1735,  Augustine  Washington  was  elected  vestry- 
man. He  nominated,  at  a  vestry  meeting  held  in  1736,  Mr.  Charles 
Green,  "as  a  person  qualified  to  officiate  in  this  church  as  soon  as  he 
shall  receive  orders  from  His  Grace  the  Bishop  of  London."  The 
vestry  then  commended  Mr.  Green  to  the  Right  Honorable  Lord  Fair- 
fax, for  his  letter  of  recommendation  and  presentation  to  the  Bishop 
of  London,  to  qualify  him  as  aforesaid.  Mr.  Green  then  proceeded  to 
England  for  orders,  and  on  his  return  to  Virginia,  in  1737.  it  is  re- 
corded   "that   the    Rev.    Charles    Green,    M.    D.,    by   a    letter   from    the 


124 

Hoii'ljle  Wni.  Gooch.  Lieutenant  Governor  of  Virginia,  as  by  the  letter 
of  the  Honourable  James  Blair,  Commisary,  is  legally  and  'regularly 
ordained,  and  it  is  therefore  ordered  by  the  vestry  that  the  said  Green 
be  received  and  entertained  as  minister  of  this  parish,  and  be  pro- 
vided for  as  the  law  directs." 

From  all  we  know  of  the  first  regularly  instituted  rector,  he  was  a 
man  of  high  character,  faithful  to  his  duties,  enjoying  the  friendship 
and  esteem  of  George  Mason,  George  Washington  and  other  prominent 
members  of  the  vestry  and  community.  He  remained  in  charge  of  the 
parish  until  his  death,  in  1765. 

In  the  year  1741  Fairfax  county  was  taken  from  Prince  William,  and 
the  boundaries  of  this  county  and  Truro  Parish  became  coterminous. 
In  February,  1749-50,  it  is  recorded  that  George  Mason  was  appointed 
church  warden  in  place  of  Jeremiah  Bronaugh,  deceased.  This  is  the 
first  appearance  of  the  name  of  the  illustrious  patriot  of  Gunston  Hall 
en  the  vestry  book.  He  continued  as  an  active  member  of  the  vestry 
until  after  the  Revolution,  when  all  vestries,  under  the  laws  of  the 
State,  were  dissolved;  but  he  no  doubt  remained  connected  with  Po- 
hick  church  until  his  death,  in  1792. 

The  next  incident  worthy  of  note  is  the  division  of  Truro  Parish  by 
Act  of  Assembly  in  1748,  by  a  line  running  from  the  mouth  of  Difflcult 
Run  to  the  head  thereof,  and  thence  running  across  the  country  to  the 
head  of  Pope's  Head  Run,  and  down  this  run  to  the  mouth  thereof, 
and  all  that  part  of  the  parish  below  this  line  to  retain  the  name  of 
Truro,  and  that  above  to  be  called  Cameron  Parish. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1753,  it  was  ordered  by  the  vestry  of  Truro 
Parish,  on  the  petition  of  Captain  John  West,  that  the  Rev.  Charles 
Green  do  preach  on  every  third  Sunday  in  the  town  of  Alexandria. 
This  is  the  first  mention  of  that  town  in  the  vestry  book,  and  gives 
us  the  probable  date  of  the  first  Church  service  there,  being  ten  years 
earlier  than  is  generally  supposed.  In  1755  it  is  ordered  that  the 
church  wardens  have  seats  made  for  the  church  in  Alexandria. 

Then  appears  a  most  important  entry.  On  the  25th  of  October,  1762, 
George  Washington  were  appointed  church  wardens  for  the  ensuing 
Peake,  deceased,  and  in  October,  1763,  George  William  Fairfax  and 
George  Washington  were  appointed  churchwardens  for  the  ensuing 
year. 

By  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly,  passed  October,  1764,  the  last  di- 
vision of  Truro  Parish  during  Colonial  times  was  made,  to  become  ef- 


125  .    . 

fective  after  February  1,  1765.  The  line  commenced  at  the  mouth  of 
Doeg  Creek  and  ran  to  Mr.  George  Washington's  mill,  the  ruins  of 
which  can  be  seen  to  this  day;  thence  by  a  straight  line  to  the  plan- 
tation of  John  Munroe,  and  the  same  continued  to  the  line  that  di- 
vides Fairfax  and  Loudoun;  and  all  southward  of  that  line  to  the 
River  Occoquan  to  retain  the  name  of  Truro,  and  all  to  the  northward 
to  be  called  Fairfax  Parish,  with  the  old  Christ  church,  Alexandria, 
as  the  chief  church  of- the  latter  parish.  George  Washington,  as  the 
vestry  book  states,  became  vestryman  in  both  parishes  by  the  vote  of 
the  freeholders  and  householders  in  each. 

In  this  same  year,  as  already  noted,  the  Rev.  Charles  Green  died, 
and  shortly  after  the  Rev.  Lee  Massey,  a  lawyer  and  an  inhabitant  of 
the  parish,  was  recommended  for  Holy  Orders  to  the  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don, and  on  his  return  from  England,  in  1767,  was  accepted  as  the 
minister  of  the  parish.  He  was  also  held  in  high  esteem,  and  there 
still  linger  traditions  of  his  wit  and  bon  homie  among  the  older  resi- 
dents of  Pohick.  Bishop  Meade  writes  "that  his  sermons  evince  talent 
and  are  sound  in  doctrine,  but  like  most  of  that  day,  want  evangelical 
life  and  spirit,  and  would  never  rouse  lost  sinners  to  a  sense  of  their 
condition."  He  lived  to  his  eighty-sixth  year,  dying  in  1814,  and  lies 
buried  at  "Bradley,"  his  old  plantation,  on  the  slope  of  a  hill  over- 
looking the   beautiful   waters  of  Occoquan   River. 

It  has  sometimes  been  doubted  whether  the  surplice  was  worn  in  the 
Colonial  Church  in  Virginia,  but  this  doubt  is  set  at  rest  so  far  as  one 
instance  is  concerned,  by  an  order  of  the  vestry,  in  1766,  to  Hector 
Rose  to  pay  George  William  Fairfax,  of  Belvoir,  also  a  vestryman,  the 
sum  of  t'16  17s  Od.,  agreeably  to  the  account  lodged  for  surplices  and 
books  imported  by  him  for  the  use  of  the  parish. 

In  the  year  1767  it  was  determined  to  build  a  new  church  at  Pohick, 
as  the  vestry  book  states  the  old  building  was  out  of  repair.  Though 
no  record  appears  on  that  book  verifying  the  accepted  tradition  of  the 
manner  in  which  Washington  determined  the  central  position  of  the 
present  site  of  the  church,  and  carried  his  point  at  a  vestry  meeting, 
we  agree  with  Bishop  Meade  as  to  the  evidences  of  its  truth.  The 
method  adopted  is  singularly  like  Washington's  practical  habits  of 
business.  When  it  was  proposed  to  build  on  a  new  site,  much  oppo- 
sition was  aroused,  especially  by  "old  Mr.  Mason,"  who  spoke  of  the 
spot  then  occupied  as  hallowed  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  and  conse- 
crated by  the  graves  of  their  dead.     Washington  at  once  made  a  sur- 


126 

vey  of  this  i)art  of  the  parish,  drew  up  a  map,  and  marlced  the  resi- 
dences of  the  parishioners,  and  presented  it  at  the  next  vestry  meeting. 
This  argument  was  conclusive,  and  the  site  on  which  the  church  stands 
to-day  is  an  evidence  of  his  careful  survey. 

In  the  year  1769  the  plans  of  the  church  were  drawn  up,  it  is  said, 
by  Washington.  The  building  committee  as  appointed  by  the  vestry, 
consisted  of  George  Washington,  George  William  Fairfax,  George  Ma- 
son, Daniel  McCarty  and  Edward  Payne.  The  undertaker,  or  con- 
tractor was  Daniel  French,  Gentleman,  who  contracted  to  build  the 
church  according  to  the  articles  of  agreement  for  the  sum  of  £877. 
We  wish  that  we  had  space  to  transcribe  these  articles  in  the  columns 
of  the  Southern  Churchman,  but  their  best  witness  is  the  solidity  of 
the  walls  of  the  old  building  to-day.  The  interior  remained  practically- 
intact  up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil  War,  when,  to  quote  Bishop  Johns, 
"the  church  was  shamefully  damaged  by  its  military  invaders,  who 
left  it  to  crumble  under  the  wasting  influences  of  the  weather,  and  to 
be  carried  off  at  pleasure  by  any  one  who  fancied'  its  material  for  pri- 
vate use."  All  that  remained  of  the  interior  woodwork  after  this  des- 
olation was  the  cornice  around  the  ceiling.  Bishop  Meade,  as  all  read- 
ers of  his  "Old  Churches,  Ministers  and  Families  of  Virginia,"  will  re- 
member, records  a  visit  made  by  himself  to  Pohick  church  in  1837.  He 
speaks  of  its  neglected  appearance  and  the  dilapidation  of  the  roof  at 
that  time.  Through  his  suggestion  a  new  roof  was  put  on  the  church, 
which  protected  the  interior  for  many  years. 

But  to  return  to  the  closing  days  of  its  Colonial  and  its  post-Revolu- 
tionary history.  "His  Excellency"  General  Washington  resigned  from 
the  vestry  in  1782,  and  shortly  afterwards  the  Rev.  Lee  Massey  ceased 
to  conduct  the  services  there,  owing,  it  is  said,  to  physical  disability. 
The  fortunes  of  the  church  appeared  to  wane,  as  little  is  heard  of  it  for 
many  years,  with  the  exception  of  the  time  that  Rev.  Mason  Locke 
Weems,  the  author  of  the  famous  "Life  of  Washington,"  was  said  to  be 
its  rector.  Services  must  have  been  infrequent  until  about  the  year  1837. 
when  the  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson,  who  also  acted  as  tutor  to  the  children 
of  the  last  Mrs.  Mason,  who  resided  at  Gunston  Hall,  discharged  the 
duties  of  rector  for  a  few  years. 

Under  the  direction  of  Bishop  Meade  and  the  fostering  care  of  Dr. 
Packard,  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  students  were  sent  to  keep 
the  church  open  and  revive  the  decadent  Episcopal  interest.  As  was 
so  frequently  the  case  during  that  period,  the  church  was  occupied 
on  alternate  Sundays  by  Methodist  ministers.     The  late  Rev.  Richard 


127 

R.  Mason  related  that  as  a  young  man  he  attended  a  debating  society 
held  on  week  days  in  the  church. 

This    state    of    things   continued    until    the    year    1S60   when,    as    the 
Rev.   E.  L.  Goodwin,  the  present  accurate  historiographer  of  the  Dio- 
cese of  Virginia,  has  kindly   reminded   us,   the   Rev.   R.   T.   Brown,   of 
Zion  church,   Fairfax  Court   House,   the  representative  of  old   Payne's 
church,   took   charge   of  old   Pohick,   "with   fair   prospects   of  success." 
But  the  storm  of  Civil  War,  already  alluded  to,  swept  over  the  country 
and   desolated    the   churches   and   homes   of   Virginia   and    the   rest  of 
the  Southland.     So  this  fair  beginning  was  nipped  in  the  bud,  and  this 
old   historic   House   of   Prayer   was   left   to   its   latter  desolations  until 
in  the  year  1874,  a  gentleman  from  New  York  became  deeply  interested 
in  its   rehabilitation.     He  collected   about   $2,400   from  prominent   men 
in  New  York  and  Philadelphia  and  had  the  building  put  in  good  con- 
dition.    Unfortunately    no    true    restoration    was    attempted.     Ordinary 
pews   were   placed    in   the   body   of   the   church,    a   great    platform    ran 
across  the  whole  eastern  end,  and  a  vestry  room  was  partitioned   off 
on   the  north   end   of  this   platform.     The   furnishings  of   the   chancel 
were  of  modern  Gothic  type,  given  by  a  church  in  the  Diocese  of  New 
York.     But  the  thanks  of  the  community  and  congregation  are  due  to 
this  kind  friend  in  a  time  of  need,  for  creating  a  general  interest  in 
this    venerable   edifice,    and    rendering    it    fit    for    use.     The    renovated 
building  was  consecrated  on  the  first  Sunday  in  October,  1875,  by  Bishop 
Johns,  who  also  preached  the  sermon,  the  morning  service  being  read 
by   Drs.    Packard   and    Mcllhenny,   of   the   Seminary.     Students   of   the 
Seminary  again   served   the  church,   under   Dr.    Kinloch   Nelson,   until 
in  September,  1881,  the  writer  of  this  article  took  charge,  as  a  deacon, 
by   the   appointment   of  Bishop   Whittle,   and   remained   there   thirteen 
years. 

On  the  suggestion  of  some  members  of  the  vestry,  shortly  before  this 
time,  the  Mount  Vernon  Ladies'  Association  began  to  take  an  active 
interest  in  the  church,  and  have  for  many  years  rented  a  pew  and  at- 
tended service  there,  on  the  Sunday  falling  during  the  week  of  their 
Annual  Council  held  at  Mount  Vernon  in  the  month  of  May. 

The  Rev.  Henry  F.  Kloman  became  the  next  minister,  and  after  an 
incumbency  of  two  years  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Everard  Meade, 
who  is  still  the  earnest  and  energetic  rector  of  the  parish.  During  his 
rectorship  the  restoration  of  the  church  has  been  taken  in  hand  and 
is  now  in  progress.  In  this  most  worthy  undertaking  he  has  been 
ably  seconded  by  the  Mount  Vernon  Ladies'  Association,  and  Mr.  H.  H. 


128 

Dodge,  the  superintendent  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  a  vestryman  of  Po- 
hiok,  together  with  the  other  vestrymen  and  friends  of  the  church. 
Various  patriotic  bodies  and  societies  for  preserving  the  antiquities 
of  the  country  have  undertaken  certain  poitions  of  the  restoration. 
The  Mount  Vernon  Ladies'  Association  will  restore  the  Washington 
pew,  and  other  pews  will  be  restored  by  the  descendants  of  the  original 
pewholders,  or  by  persons  who  now  own  some  of  the  old  estates  around 
Pohick.  It  is  hoped  that  the  restoration  will  be  practically  completed 
this  fall. 

The  present  property  of  the  church  other  than  the  church  edifice 
consists  of  a  rectory,  a  fine  parish  hall,  mainly  built  through  a  gener- 
ous contribution  from  Mrs.  Hearst,  of  California,  and  forty-three  acres 
of  land  around  the  church  and  rectory.  Bishop  Meade  exclaimed  in 
a  pathetic  apostrophe,  when  he  visited  the  church  in  1837:  "Is  this 
the  house  of  God  which  was  built  by  the  Washingtons,  the  Masons,  the 
McCartys,  the  Grahams,  the  Lewises,  the  Fairfaxes? — the  house  in 
which  they  used  to  worship  the  God  of  our  fathers  according  to  the 
venerable  forms  of  the  Ejnscopal  Church — and  some  of  whose  names 
are  yet  to  be  seen  on  the  doors  of  those  now  deserted  pews?  Is  this 
also  designed  to  moulder  piecemeal  away,  or,  when  some  signal  is 
given,  to  become  the  prey  of  spoilers,  and  to  be  carried  hither  and 
thither,  and  applied  to  every  purpose  under  heaven?  Surely  patriot- 
ism or  reverence  for  the  greatest  of  patriots,  if  not  religion,  might 
be  effectually  appealed  to  in  behalf  of  this  one  temple  of  God." 

How  would  his  heart  been  gladdened  if  he  could  have  lived  to  see 
what  has  been  done  there  now!  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the 
old  church  did  become  "the  prey  of  spoilers,"  as  he  almost  propheti- 
cally intimated,  it  will  soon  be  clothed  in  the  full  similitude  of  its 
ancient  glory.  Above  all,  within  its  walls  for  well-nigh  thirty  years, 
from  Sunday  to '  Sunday,  as  in  days  of  old,  the  consecrated  words  of 
our  ancient  liturgy  have  been  wafted  heavenwards,  and  the  Word  of 
God  has  been  continuously  preached  to  attentive  congregations;  while 
the  silent  lessons  of  its  history,  made  illustrious  by  tliose  immortal 
names  of  patriots  who  bowed  in  huniole  adoration  at  its  altars,  still 
teach  the  reverent  worshippers,  both  young  and  old,  to  lovo  their 
country  and  their  God.  May  this  venerable  temple,  replete  with  such 
holy  and  noble  associations,  continue  to  be  a  House  of  Prayer,  and  a 
living  center  for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  "as  this  Church 
has  received  the  same,"  through  the  years  and  centuries  that  are  to 
come! 


THE  OLD  FALLS  CHURCH,  FAIRFAX  COUNTY, 

VIRGINIA. 

BY   THE    REV.    GEORGE    S.    SOMERVILLE,    RECTOR. 

^^r-pN^  HE   Falls   Church,   so  called   after  one  of  the   falls  of  the   Po- 
tomac, was  built  about  1734,  enlarged  in  1750,  and  rebuilt  as 
2J,        now  in  1767-'69.     The  musty  archives  at  Fairfax  Court  House 
contain  the  deed  to  the  church  grounds  i;ecorded  in  1745,  many 
years   after    the   original    church    building   had    been    erected    thereon. 
With  this  yard  of  about  one  and  a  half  acres,  containing  magnificent 
old    trees   and   ancient   graves,    consecrated    by    burial   rites  and   tears 
and  by  the  tread  of  worshipping  feet  for  near  200  years,  this  time- 
hallowed  sanctuary  stands  as  a  venerable,  indeed,  and  most  inspiring 
memorial  of  our  far-back  Colonial  days. 

Truro  Parish  originally  included  both  the  Falls  church  and  Pohick 
church,  both  being  served  by  the  same  rector  and  the  same  vestry, 
the  latter  meeting  sometimes  at  one  church  and  sometimes  at  another. 
In  1764  Truro  Parish  was  divided  and  a  new  parish,  called  Fairfax 
Parish,  was  formed  out  of  it.  The  Falls  church  and  Christ  chuich, 
Alexandria,  were  then  joined  together  to  compose  this  second  parish, 
both  these  churches  having  one  rector  and  one  vestry  in  common. 

It  was  after  this  division  the  Falls  church  was  rebuilt  of  brick  as 
now.  The  contract  was  given  out  for  this  church  and  for  Christ 
church  at  the  same  time,  the  Falls  church,  however,  being  completed 
first  by  some  years.  Both  churches  were  to  cost  600  pounds  each. 
Mr.  James  Parsons  was  to  build  the  Falls  church.  "A  most  particu- 
lar contract  was  made  for  theni,"  writes  Bishop  Meade.  "The  mortrir 
is  to  have  two-thirds  of  lime  and  one  of  sand,"  the  very  reverse  of  the 
proportion  at  this  day,  and  which  accounts  for  the  greater  durability 
of  ancient  walls.  The  shingles  were  to  be  of  best  cypress  or  juniper 
and  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick,  and  good  authorities  pronounce 
them  in  perfect  condition  to-day,  and  predict  they  will  last  hundreds 
of  years  to  come.  The  brick  is  of  a  very  hard  kind  and  peculiar  shape, 
and  some  think  were  brought  from  England. 

As  is  well  known.  General  George  Washington  was  a  member  of  the 
one  vestry  that  served  both  the  Falls  church  and  Christ  church,  Alex- 


130 

andria.  Mr.  John  Lj-nch,  now  an  old  man,  who  once  served  the 
Falls  church  as  sexton  for  over  forty  years,  told  the  writer  that  in 
his  younger  days  he  learned  from  a  number  of  aged  persons  that  it 
was  Washington's  custom,  while  giving  his  regular  attendance  to 
Christ  church,  also  to  visit  and  worship  at  the  Falls  church  at  least 
four  times  a  year;  this  being  part  of  his  parish.  The  particular  pew 
and  place  in  church  he  usually  occupied  were  said  to  have  been  mark- 
ed and  kept  for  him.  This  location  is  still  pointed  out,  though  the 
original  floor  and  pews  have  been  destroyed. 

Several  residents  also  of  this  village  now  living,  whose  mother, 
Mrs.  Sarah  Maria  Sewell,  died  many  years  since  at  the  age  of  97,  still 
delight  to  repeat  her  descriptions  of  the  great  hero,  whom  in  her  child- 
hood she  had  seen  worshipping  in  this  church.  She  remembered,  also, 
his  dining  occasionally  at  her  home  near  the  church,  and  his  taking 
her  up  in  his  arms  and  playfully  caressing  her.  Her  father,  Mr.  John 
West,  was  then  a  member  of  the  House  of  Burgesses,  and  his  name 
appears  on  the  Church  Vestry. 

The  following  entry  in  the  old  Truro  Parish  Vestry  Book  is  a  sam- 
ple of  its  records: 

"March  28,  1763." 
"At  a  Vestry  of  Truro  Parish  held  at  the  Falls  Church,  March  28, 
1763;  present:  Henry  Gunnell,  Wm.  Payne,  Jr..  Ch.  Wardens;  John 
West,  Wm.  Payne,  Chas.  Broadwater,  Thos.  Wrenn.  Abra.  Barnes, 
Dan'l  McCarty,  Kobt.  Boggers,  and  George  Washington;  who  being 
there  met  to  examine  into  the  state  of  the  said  church,  greatly  in  de- 
cay and  want  of  repair,  and  likewise  whether  the  same  shall  be  re- 
paired or  a  new  one  built  and  whether  at  the  same  place  or  removed 
to  a  more  convenient  one.     *     *     * 

"Resolved:  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  Vestry  that  the  Old  Church  is 
rotten  and  unfit  for  repair  but  that  a  new  church  be  built  at  the  same 
place." 

George  Mason  was  also  a  member  of  this  vestry,  and  at  a  vestry 
meeting  held  the  following  year  to  complete  plans  for  the  rebuilding 
of  the  Falls  church,  his  name  is  recorded  as  present.  In  Washington's 
diary  for  1764  is  entered  a  copy  of  an  advertisement  for  "undertakers 
to  build  Falls  Church,"  showing  him  to  have  been  on  its  original 
building  committee. 

Running  back  through  its  Truro  days  the  Falls  Church  parish  has 
carried  on  its  vestry  rolls  the  names  of  Capt.  Augustine  Washington, 


131 

his  son,  George  Washington,  George  iVIason,  George  Wm.  Fairfax, 
Capt.  Henry  Fairfax  and  many  others.  In  its  yard  a  portion  of  Brad- 
dock's  ill-starred  army  is  said  to  have  once  encamped,  and  the  present 
building  also  to  have  been  used  in  the  Revolutionary  War  as  a  com- 
pany recruiting  headquarters  of  Col.  Charles  Broadwater,  one  of  Fair- 
fax county's  first  patriots. 

From  its  precincts,  too,  marched  Capt.  Henry  Fairfax,  the  scholarly 
West  Pointer,  with  his  Fairfax  volunteers  to  the  Mexican  War,  his 
body  destined  to  be  borne  back  and  laid  to  rest  by  these  sacred  walls 
he  loved  so  well,  and  which  he  himself,  at  his  own  expense,  had  munifi- 
cently restored  as  an  offering  to  his  Lord. 

The  experience  of  the  Falls  church  in  the  Civil  War  is  well  known. 
It  stood  throughout  in  the  very  forefront  of  that  dreadful  strife,  in 
the  constant  pathway  of  the  armies,  while  about  it  ebbed  and  flowed 
the  awful  tide  of  blood.  Many  a  suffering,  dying  soldier  found  mer- 
ciful shelter  and  nursing  within  its  holy  walls  as  a  hospital.  Later 
it  was  used,  also,  by  the  Federal  troops  as  a  stable.  One  thousand 
three  hundred  dollars  was  expended  by  the  U.  S.  Government  in  18G5 
on  its  repairs.  Lastly,  it  was  associated  with  the  late  Spanish-Amer- 
ican War,  a  large  portion  of  our  American  army  being  encamped  and 
trained  nearby  and  many  attended  its  services. 

About  1787  the  Falls  Church  was  deserted  as  a  house  of  worship 
by  Episcopalians.  This  was  the  time  of  popular  hatred  and  general 
decadence  of  the  Church  because  of  its  imagined  association  with 
England  and  English  tyranny.  "Since  then,"  wrote  Bishop  Meade, 
"it  has  been  used  by  any  who  were  disposed  to  occupy  it  as  a  place 
of  worship;  and  the  doors  and  windows  being  opened,  itself  stand- 
ing on  the  common  highway,  it  has  been  entered  at  pleasure  by  travel- 
ers on  the  road  and  animals  of  every  kind. 

Some  years  since  the  attention  of  the  professors  of  our  Seminary 
and  some  of  the  students  was  drawn  toward  it,  and  occasional  ser- 
vices performed  there.  This  led  to  its  partial  repair  (chiefly  at  the 
expense  of  Captain  Henry  Fairfax,  grandson  of  the  Rev.  Bryan 
Fairfax,  a  former  rector  of  this  church).  The  most  successful  effort 
in  its  behalf  was  made  by  one  of  those  devoted  youths  who  has  given 
himself  to  Africa.  Young  Mr.  Minor,  of  Fredericksburg,  then  a  stu- 
dent at  the  Seminary,  undertook  the  task  of  lay-reader,  and 
by  his  untiring  zeal  and  most  affectionate  manners  soon  collected  a 
large  Sunday-school,  aided  by   some  fellow-students  of  kindred   spirit. 


132 

In  losing  Mr.  Minor  when  he  went  to  Africa  the  children  and  parents- 
thought  they  had  lost  their  all,  but  Providence  raised  up  others,  and 
doubtless  will  continue  to  raise  up  as  many  as  are  needed.  Our  Sem- 
inary will  surely  furnish  the  supply  that  is  called  for. 

"The  house  of  which  we  are  speaking  has  recently  been  more  thor- 
oughly repaired  and  is  now  as  to  outward  appearance,  strength  and 
comfort  one  of  our  most  desirable  temples  of  religion,  bidding  fair 
to  survive  successive  generations  of  those  unworthy  structures  which 
are  continually  rising  up  and  falling  down  throughout  our  land.  On 
Saturday  and  Sunday,  assisted  by  several  of  our  ministers,  I  perform- 
ed pastoral  and  Episcopal  duties  in  this  church.  On  the  latter  day, 
in  the  midst  of  an  overflowing  congregation,  I  confirmed  six  persons- 
and  administered  Holy  Communion."  Thus  wrote  Bishop  Meade  in 
1827. 

But  as  rich  a  storehouse  of  momentous  historic  names,  events,  and 
principles  as  is  this  ancient  sanctuary,  it  is  equally  valuable  for  the 
religious  records  it  preserves.  Virginia's  progeny  of  ilLustrious 
Churchmen  has  been  as  noble  and  as  numerous  as  her  statesmen.  And 
imbedded  in  the  grounds  and  walls  of  this  venerable  shrine  is  the 
name  and  image  of  many  a  spiritual  prince  and  hero.  Hear  but  a 
partial  roll-call  of  its  rectors: 

Rev.  Chas.  Green,  in  1736,  after  being  nominated  to  the  vestry  by 
Capt.  Augustine  Washington  and  sent  to  England  to  receive  ordina- 
tion from  the  Bishop  of  London,  as  recorded  in  the  old  parish  Vestry 
Book;  Rev.  David  Griffith,  elected  the  first  Bishop  of  Virginia,  but 
prevented  by  circumstances  from  being  sent  to  England  for  consecra- 
tion; Rev.  Bryan  Fairfax,  Washington's  much-revered  pastor  and 
friend;  Rev.  Drs.  E.  C.  Lippitt,  James  May,  Joseph  Packard,  professor 
in  the  Virginia  Theological  Seminary;  Bishop  Horatio  Southgate,  pre- 
viously Missionary  Bishop  in  Constantinople;  Bishop  Richard  Wilmer, 
Rev.  Launcelot  Byrd  Minor,  who  died  a  missionary  in  Africa;  Rev. 
W.  H.  Kinckle,  also  Rev.  Drs.  Churchill  J.  Gibson,  Joshua  Peterkin, 
George  W.  Shinn,  and  others,  who  regularly  officiated  here  when  stu- 
dents at  the  Theological  Seminary,  five  miles  distant;  Bishop  Madison, 
Virginia's  first  Bishop,  visited  this  church  to  preach  and  administer 
confirmation;  Bishop  Meade  officiated  in  and  wrote  most  feelingly 
and  admiringly  of  it  in  his  well  known  history;  Bishop  Kinsolving, 
our  Missionary  Bishop  in  Brazil,  there  received  confirmation;  Rev. 
Dr.    John    McGill    was   twice   its   rector;    before    him    Rev.    Templeman 


133 

Brown,  and  more  lately  Revs.  Frank  Page,  J.  Cleveland  Hall,  and  R. 
A.  Castleman  were  rectors.  JNIany  other  noble,  sainted  names  also 
adorn  and  enrich  its  history. 

Oh,  what  a  perpetual  standing  sermon  is  this  hallowed  fane!  What 
glorious  truths  it  ceaselessly  proclaims!  Long  before  the  Colonial 
Church  of  England  changed  its  American  local  title  to  "Protestant 
Episcopal,"  this  building  was  known  only  as  the  Anglican  Church. 
A  living,  visible,  tangible,  speaking  witness  Indeed  it  stands  in  the 
identity  of  our  American  branch  of  the  Church  with  the  Church  of 
England,  and  through  it  to  our  oneness  with  the  one  Holy  Historic 
Body  of  all  ages  and  of  all  lands.  Who  can  sit  beneath  its  roof  with- 
out profounder,  more  thrilling  convictions  that  our  worship  is  Apos- 
tolic; our  faith  is  Catholic;  our  Priesthood  is  Divine!  Who  can  tread 
its  grounds  without  feeling  the  throb  and  beat  and  impulse  of  our  fore- 
fathers' unfaltering  faith  and  their  effectual,  fervent  prayers?  Who 
can  even  in  passing  behold  it  without  hearing  mighty  voices  calling 
and  seeing  brave  hands  beckoning  to  higher,  grander,  more  enduring- 
things  than  earth's  brief,  fitful  dreams? 

But  alas!  this  precious  storied  monument  that  brings  down  to  us 
great  messages  from  the  past  and  is  carrying  on  added  tidings  from 
ourselves  to  centuries  of  posterity  to  come,  is  now  the  prey  of  decay, 
dilapidation  and  ruin.  For  two  years  the  present  rector  has  labored 
strenuously  for  its  restoration.  The  task  and  the  expense  have  prov- 
ed far  greater  than  was  anticipated.  From  roof  to  yard  and  enclosure 
all  has  to  be  renewed  or  reclaimed.  From  $8,000  to  $10,000  is  re- 
quired to  put  building  and  grounds  in  thoroughly  worthy  ana  working 
condition.  Of  this  (including  a  few  hundreds  contributed  to  help 
pay  off  its  parish  debt)  about  $4,000  has  been  raised  and  expended  on 
the  church.  The  work  has  had  to  stop  until  further  funds  are  securea. 
Our  Bishop  has  lately  seen  and  been  greatly  pleased  with  what  has  so 
far  been  done.  The  church's  prospects  for  future  Christian  service  is 
simply  boundless,  if  fitted  therefor.  My  only  possible  hope  to  com- 
plete the  work  is  with  outside  help. 

Christians,  patriots.  Churchmen,  remember  your  sacred  landmark! 
Honor  its  holy  memories.  Make  it  rejoice  with  renewed  strength 
and  beauty  for  the  great  Jubilee  Year  of  1907! 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  ALEXANDRIA,  VIRGINIA. 

I!V    MISS    HELEN    NOKRIS    CTMMINOS. 


MI 


TDWAY  between  Washington  and  Mount  Vernon  there  lies  a 

M  little  city  of  infinite  value  to  lovers  of  nistory,  and  in  quaint 
old  Alexandria  one  of  the  places  that  claim  the  greatest  in- 
terest is  Christ  church,  being  spoken  of  far  and  near  as  the 
church  of  Washington.  His  was  the  first  of  a  long  line  of  names  of  whom 
the  country  is  so  justly  proud,  to  be  found  in  connection  with  this 
church;  his  name  and  but  one  other  are  inscribed  upon  it.  Two  mural 
tablets,  one  on  either  side  of  the  chancel,  are  placed  in  memory  of  the 
two  sons  of  this  church,  whom  Virginia  most  loves  and  honors — George 
Washington  and  Robert  Edward  Lee,  and  two  pews  which  they  occupied 
are  marked  by  silver  plates  engraved  with  their  respective  names,  a  fac- 
simile of  their  own  handwriting.  Both  lived  on  the  Potomac,  one  a  few 
miles  north,  the  other  a  few  miles  south,  of  Alexandria,  and  although 
their  lives  were  separated  by  many  years,  yet  this  church  was  a  mother 
to  them  both. 

In  1765  prosperous  Alexandria  determined  to  erect  for  herself  a 
handsome  church  in  place  of  the  little  chapel  that  by  this  time  had 
been  outgrown.  On  February  1st  of  that  year  the  parish  of  Fairfax 
was  created  out  of  Truro,  and  March  28th  Col.  George  Washington, 
then  thirty-three  years  old,  was  elected  one  of  the  twelve  vestrymen. 
In  Colonial  days  the  Government  of  Virginia  was  largely  controlled  by 
the  vestry  of  the  parish,  holding  as  it  did,  in  a  generous  measure,  the 
power  of  civil  authority.  This  close  connection  between  Church  and 
b^'tate  extended  the  power  of  the  vestry  to  a  variety  of  duties,  and  made 
the  position  no  sinecure;  for.  besides  attending  to  the  temporal  wants 
of  the  church  and  overseeing  the  needs  of  the  poor,  giving  the  deserv- 
ing ones  food  and  clothing  as  well  as  medical  attention,  it  had  the 
right  to  impose  fines  for  the  non-observance  of  secular  laws,  and  with 
it  rested  the  responsibility  of  administering  justice. 

In  order  to  build  the  church,  the  vestry  was  obliged  to  impose  upon 
the  parish  a  tax  of  ;51.185  pounds  of  tobacco.  From  the  funds  raised 
two  churches  were  to  be  erected,  one  at  Falls  Church  and  the  other 
at  Alexandria.     The  site  chosen  for  the  Alexandria  I'hurch  was  at  the 


135 

head  of  Cameron  street.  It  was  a  thick  wood  then,  hut  the  ground, 
shaded  by  the  forest  tres,  seemed  an  ideal  spot,  to  set  aside  as  God's 
Acre. 

In  1767  the  contract  was  given  to  James  Parsons  for  £G00  sterling, 
a  large  sum  of  money  at  that  time;  but  it  was  to  be  a  handsome  build- 
ing, though  simple  in  treatment,  as  were  all  Colonial  churches.  Built 
of  brick  and  roofed  with  shingles  of  juniper,  since  replaced  by  slate, 
the  church  now  stands  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  surrounded  by  its  beau- 
tiful yard  and  overshadowing  trees,  and  to  this  day  is  a  delight  to  all 
visitors  who,  on  their  pilgrimage  to  Mount  Vernon,  take  a  little  time 
to  see  this  sacred  building,  the  pride  of  Alexandria. 

The  severity  of  the  interior  is  extreme;  "the  arches  and  pediments 
are  of  the  Tuscan  order,  the  altar  piece,  pulpit  and  canopy  of  Ionic 
style;"  there  are  three  windows  in  the  chancel,  and  on  either  side  of 
them  are  two  panels,  one  containing  the  Lord's  Prayer  with  the  Creed; 
the  other  has  the  Ten  Commandments,  both  done  in  black  lettering 
on  a  gilt  background.  The  sounding-board  or  canopy  and  high  pul- 
pit, with  its  winding  stairway,  is  in  the  center  of  the  chancel.  Di- 
rectly against  the  window,  below  that,  is  the  "altar  piece,"  all  of 
Ionic  style,  and  immediately  in  front,  by  the  chancel  rail,  is  the  tiny 
font. 

The  architect  selected  was  James  Wren,  a  descendant,  so  the  story 
goes,  of  the  great  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  who,  as  architect  of  the 
wonderful  Cathedral  of  St.  Paul's,  in  London,  has  shed  glory  not  only 
on  himself,  but  on  his  posterity.  In  1772  the  work  of  building  came 
to  a  standstill,  and  Colonel  John  Carlyle  agreed  to  complete  James 
Parson's  unfinished  contract  for  an  additional  sum  of  £220.  One  year 
later,  February  27,  1773,  the  church  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the 
vestry,  who  regarded  it  as  finished  "in  a  workmanlike  manner."  The 
same  day  Colonel  Washington  purchased  for  £36  10s.,  the  pew  then 
Icnown  as  Number  5. 

The  choice  Oronoko  tobacco  played  a  prominent  part  as  a  commer- 
cial factor  of  Alexandria,  since  the  church  was  built  with  it,  the 
clergyman's  salary  was  paid  in  the  same  way,  and  the  first  rector. 
Rev.  Townsend  Dade,  ordained  by  the  Bishop  of  London,  received  his 
salary  in  the  shape  of  17,280  pounds  of  tobacco,  and  for  want  of  a 
glebe,  2,500  pounds  were  added  to  this  sum.  In  1770  the  church  was 
able  to  purchase  five  hundred  acres  of  land,  and  three  years  later  was 
wealthy  enough  to  erect  on  it  a  glebe  house,  or  parsonage,  with  dairy. 


136 

meat  house,  barn,  stable  and  corn  house,  at  a  cost  of  £C53.  ,The  next 
year,  to  complete  the  convenience  of  the  rector's  family,  a  hen  house 
was  added.  Thus  steadily  the  financial  condition  of  the  church  in- 
creased. 

That  women  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  the  vestry  is  proved 
by  the  fact  that  in  the  selection  of  a  sexton  the  choice  was  given  to 
Susannah  Edwards,  who  preceded  the  members  of  the  congregation 
up  the  aisle,  locating  each  family  in  their  respective  pews,  according 
10  dignity.  She  evidently  filled  the  office  well,  for  she  was  succeeded 
by  another  dame.  Mistress  Cook,  who  was  most  "peculiar  in  dress 
and  physiognomy;  had  a  stately  manner  of  ushering  persons  into 
their  pews  and  locking  the  door  upon  them,  and  with  an  almost  mil- 
itary air  she  patrolled  the  aisles,  alert  to  protect  and  prompt  to  sup- 
press any  violation  of  order." 

To  the  church-goers  the  great  family  coach  of  the  Washington^  was 
a  familiar  sight.  Made  in  England,  it  was  both  substantial  and  ele- 
gant, if  somewhat  heavy.  Four  horses  were  necessary  to  draw  it,  but 
when  the  Virginia  roads  were  very  bad  six  were  used;  and  to  each 
span  of  horses  there  were  the  liveried  postilion  riders.  After  service-, 
one  Sunday  morning  in  the  summer  of  1774,  surrounded  by  the  con- 
gregation, every  one  of  whom  he  well  knew,  Washington  advocated 
withdrawing  allegiance  from  King  George,  and  stated  that  he  would 
fight  to  uphold  the  independence  of  the  Colonies.  No  more  solemn 
time  or  occasion  could  have  been  chosen.  With  calmness,  in  a  spirit 
of  prayerful  deliberation,  he  announced  his  momentous  decision  under 
the  very  shadow  of  the  church.  Nine  years  after,  when  that  inde- 
pendence liad  been  successfully  established  and  the  long  contested 
fight  so  bravely  won,  having  resigned  his  commission  at  Annapolis,  he 
was  free  to  turn  his  face  towards  home.  His  arrival  at  Mount  Vernon 
was  on  Christmas  Eve.  The  next  day  found  him  once  more  in  his 
accustomed  seat  in  the  church  at  Alexandria  to  hear  the  tender  mes- 
sage of  peace  and  good-will  that  was  proclaimed  like  liberty  through- 
out the  land,  and  no  one  bowed  in  deeper  gratitude  than  the  great 
general,  who  came  as  humbly  as  a  little  child  to  this,  his  Father's 
House.  In  addition  to  the  Christmas  service,  the  rector,  the  Rev.  Da- 
vid Griffith,  who  served  as  chaplain  of  the  Third  Virginia  Regiment 
in  the  Revolutionary  War.  read  the  exultant  song  of  Moses  and  the 
Children  of  Israel:  "I  will  sing  unto  the  Lord,  for  He  hath  triumphed 
gloriously;   the  horse  and  his  rider  hath  He  thrown  into  the  sea";   and 


137 

the  sermon  he  preached  was  from  the  12Sth  Psalm:  "Yea,  thou  shalt 
see  thy  children's  children  and  peace  upon  Israel.'  The  children's 
children  of  some  of  those  men  who  composed  the  congregation  in 
Washington's  day  are  still  to  be  found  Sunday  after  Sunday  in  the  old 
church;  some  in  the  same  old  family  pews.  He  greeted  after  service 
the  Wests,  the  Muirs,  the  Flemings,  the  Carlyles,  the  Custises,  the 
Ramsays,  the  Daltons,  the  Alexanders,  the  Adamses,  the  Wrens,  the 
Herberts,  the  Paynes,  the  Dulings,  the  Sanfords,  the  Frenches,  the 
Shaws,  the  Broadwaters,  the  Blackburns,  the  Darnes,  the  Gunnels,  the 
Chichesters,  the  Tripletts,  the  Coxes,  the  Browns,  the  Gilpins  and  the 
Hooes;  and  the  heritage  of  friendship  has  passed  on  to  their  descend- 
ants. 

In  the  Colonial  period,  having  no  Bishops,  there  was  no  confirmation 
in  the  Colonies.  The  first  record  of  confirmation  at  Christ  church  was 
in  1814,  by  Bishop  Moore;  probably  his  first  official  act  as  Bishop  of 
Virginia.  Dr.  David  Griflftth,  the  chaplain  of  Revolutionary  days,  was 
the  first  Bishop-elect  of  this  Diocese,  but  owing  to  lack  of  funds,  Vir- 
ginia could  not  undertake  the  expense  of  his  journey  to  London  for 
ordination. 

At  the  time  the  church  at  Alexandria  was  built  it  was  known  as  the 
twin  church  of  Pohick,  but  changes  crept  on,  and  they  grew  apart  in 
appearance.  The  galleries  at  Christ  church  were  added  and  the  high 
square  pews  cut  down  and  divided;  the  Washington  pew  is  the  only 
square  pew  left.  In  1808  interments  ceased  in  the  churchyard,  though 
spacious  and  by  no  means  filled  with  graves;  the  vestry  considered  it 
best  to  purchase  a  cemetery  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  and  long 
stretches  of  velvety  grass,  broken  only  by  the  flickering  sunlight 
through  the  trees,  forms  an  exquisite  setting  to  the  old  Colonial 
church.  In  1810  an  organ  was  introduced,  and  in  1812  the  chimneys 
were  built,  no  longer  foot-stoves  were  necessary.  With  the  change  of 
appearance  came  the  change  of  name.  From  17G5  to  1813  it  had  al- 
ways been  spoken  of  as  the  Episcopal  church;  now  to  future  genera- 
tions it  was  to  be  known  as  Christ  church,  and  on  June  9th  of  that 
year  it  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Claggett,  of  Maryland.  By  degrees 
the  bell  was  purchased,  the  steeple  erected,  the  vestry-room  under  the 
tower  was  built,  and  the  porch  at  the  southwest  corner  constructed. 
Always  with  adequate  means  at  command,  no  expense  was  spared  to 
enlarge  or  beautify,  and  as  the  years  went  on  each  new  Improvement 
was  easily  and  happily  welcomed. 


138 

In  1815,  at  the  Diocesan  Convention  of  Virginia,  it  was  decided  to 
•establish  a  Theological  Seminary.  A  few  years  later  a  <;lass  was 
formed  at  William  and  Mary  College,  Williamsburg,  which,  in  1823, 
was  transferred  to  Alexandria,  and  the  first  building  erected  in  1S27; 
and  from  that  time  until  1855,  on  every  alternating  year,  the  ordina- 
tion services  were  held  at  Christ  church.  The  Bishops  who  officiated 
were  Griswold,  Moore,  Meade  and  Bedell,  and  the  men  who  consecra- 
ted their  lives  to  the  dark  continent  of  Africa  were  Savage  and  Minor, 
Payne  and  Henning,  and  Colden  Hoffman,  while  Cleveland  Keith  de- 
voted his  life  to  China.  The  rest  of  the  candidates  for  Orders  found 
their  work  nearer  at  hand,  but  for  all  these  men  the  memory  of  Christ 
church  was  very  dear. 

During  the  boyhood  of  Robert  E.  Lee  his  winter  home  was  in  Alex- 
andria. Many  a  Christmas,  with  the  other  boys  of  the  neighborhood, 
he  brought  the  evergreen  and  helped  to  decorate  the  church;  and  in 
the  summer  of  1853,  when  he  had  reached  the  rank  of  Colonel,  he  was 
confirmed  here  by  Bishop  Johns,  who  said  to  him,  after  service,  that 
if  he  should  make  as  good  a  Christian  as  he  had  a  soldier,  the  Church 
would  be  proud  of  him.  The  mural  tablet  is  evidence  that  the  hope 
01  the  Bishop  was  fulfilled.  Here,  too,  in  the  churchyard,  in  1861, 
counting  the  agonizing  cost  to  his  State,  he  agreed  to  take  command 
of  the  Virginia  forces,  seeing  only  too  clearly  the  first  inevitable  per- 
sonal sacrifice,  the  loss  of  his  Arlington  home.  During  the  war  the 
Federal  authorities  forcibly  held  the  church,  but  it  was  finally  restored 
to  the  vestry  in  18G6. 

Of  the  ministers  of  God  who  have  served  at  her  altar  there  is  a  long 
list  of  men  who,  inspired  by  her,  have  done  noble  work.  Two  have 
become  Bishops.  The  first  minister  was  Townsend  Dade;  then  fol- 
lowed Mr.  West,  David  Griffith,  Bryan  Fairfax,  Thomas  Davis,  Mr. 
Gibson,  Mr.  Barclay,  William  Meade,  Oliver  Norris,  Beuel  Keith,  Geo. 
Griswold,  John  P.  McGuire,  Charles  Mann,  Charles  B.  Dana,  Cornelius 
Walker,  A.  M.  Randolph,  Randolph  H.  McKim,  Henderson  Suter,  Ber- 
ryman  Green,  and  the  present  rector,  William  Jackson  Morton. 

The  church  to-day  is  in  a  state  of  perfect  preservation.  Time  has 
laid  his  finger  on  her,  but  to  soften  and  to  beautify.  She  still  stands 
with  open  arms  and  a  gracious  welcome.  She  reproves,  she  warns, 
she  cheers  and  loves.  For  generations  she  has  been  to  her  sons  and 
daughters  a  source  of  consolation  and  of  joy,  and  she  still  extends  the 
promise  of  a  protecting  mother  love  that  will  cause  the  children  of 
the  future  to  rise  up  and  call  her  blessed. 


ST.  PETER'S  CHURCH,   ST.   PETER'S  PARISH, 
NEW  KENT  COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

BY    CHUKCIIILL    GIBSON    CHAMBERLAYNE,    PU.     1).  . 

^O  the  question,  When  was  St.  Peter's  Parish  established?  the 
student  of  Hening's  "Statutes  at  Large"  is  surprised  to  find 
that  that  work  gives  no  direct  answer.  It  is,  perhaps,  to  this 
omission  on  the  part  of  Hening  that  Bishop  Meade's  discreet 
silence  upon  the  subject  is  due.  His  "Old  Churches,  Ministers  and 
Families  of  Virginia"  has  much  to  say  about  the  parish  of  St.  Peter's 
and  its  people,  but  not  a  word  in  regard  to  its  establishment.  To  the 
writer  of  the  present  article  it  seems  probable  that  the  parish — if  not 
coeval  with  New  Kent  county,  which  was  formed  from  the  county  of 
York  in  1654 — was  created  shortly  after  1656,  in  which  year  the  General 
Assembly  of  Virginia  passed  the  following  act: 

"Whereas,  there  are  many  places  destitute  of  ministers,  and  like 
still  to  continue  soe,  the  people  content  not  payinge  their  accustomed 
dues,  which  makes  them  negligent  to  procure  those  which  should  teach 
and  instruct  them,  soe  by  this  improvident  saveing  they  lose  the  great- 
est benefitt  and  comfort  a  Christian  can  have,  by  hearing  the  word  and 
vse  of  the  blessed  sacraments.  Therefore  be  it  enacted  by  this  present 
Grand  Assembly.  That  all  countys  not  yet  laid  out  into  parishes 
shall  be  divided  into  parishes  the  next  County  Court  after  publication 
hereof,  and  that  all  tithable  persons  in  every  parish  within  this  colony 
respectively,  in  the  vacancy  of  their  minister,  pay  15  lb.  of  tobacco 
per  poll  yearly,  and  that  tobacco  be  deposited  in  the  hands  of  the  com- 
missioners of  the  several  counties,  to  be  by  them  disposed  of  in  the 
first  place  for  the  building  of  a  parish  church,  and  afterwards  tfie  sur- 
plusage thereof  (if  any  be)  to  go  towards  the  purchaseing  of  a  gleab 
and  stock  for  the  next  minister  that  shall  be  settled  there:  Provided, 
that  the  vestrys  of  the  several  parishes  be  responsible  for  the  said  to- 
bacco so  leavied." 

This  act,  with  some  slight  verbal  changes,  was  re-enacted  by  the 
General  Assembly  in  March,  1657-8. 

For  the  period  between  its  foundation  and  the  year  1684— the  date 
of  the   first   complete   minutes   in   the   published   "Vestry   Book   of   St. 


140 

Peter's" — there  are  no  extant  records  from  which  a  history  of  the 
parish  could  be  written.  For  the  period  subsequent  to  1684,  however, 
and  coming  down  to  1857,  the  materials — official  documents  and  other 
sources — for  such  a  history  are  ample. 

Between  1684  and  1700  Church  life  in  St.  Peter's  parish  was  not  of 
the  most  active  sort — that  is,  judged  by  modern  standards.  There  is 
no  good  reason  to  suppose,  however,  that  it  compared  unfavorably  with 
the  life  in  many  another  parish  in  Virginia  at  the  time,  notwithstand- 
ing a  statement  to  the  contrary  made  once  by  one  of  its  own 
ministers,  of  which  more  later  on.  Vestry  meetings  were  held  two  or 
three  times  in  the  year — some  years  there  were  even  four  meetings, 
but  this  was  not  often  the  case.  These  gatherings  were  mostly  of  a 
business  nature,  and  business  matters  of  all  sorts  in  regard  to  the 
parish  were  brought  forward,  discussed  and  settled.  Whether  it  were 
simply  the  election  of  a  vestryman  or  Church  warden  in  the  room  of 
another,  resigned  or  deceased,  or  a  quarrel  with  the  neighboring  parish 
of  Blissland;  whether  it  were  the  appointment  of  a*  vestryman  to  serve 
as  the  representative  of  the  parish  in  a  law  suit,  or  the  determining 
of  the  parish  levy  for  the  year — whatever  the  matter  might  be,  it  did 
not  go  unrecorded  in  the  minutes-book  of  the  vestry. 

For  example,  the  dispute  with  Blissland,  in  regard  to  the  location 
of  the  dividing  line  between  the  two  parishes,  furnished  the  vestry- 
book  of  St.  Peter's  with  material  for  i'requent  entries  like  the  follow- 
ing: 

"At  a  Vestry  hold  at  St.  Peter's  parish  Church  on  ye  behalf  of  ye 
s'd  parish  this  3rd  day  of  Sept.,  1688.  Present:  Gideon  Macon,  Corn. 
Daberni,  Geo.  Smith,  Hen.  Wyatt,  Mr.  Thom.  Mitchell.  James  Moss. 

"Mr.  Jno.  Roper,  Mr.  Will.  Bassett,  Church  wardens. 

"It  is  ordered  by  this  present  vestry  that  Mr.  Gideon  Macon  do  &  is 
hereby  impowered  to  appear  before  his  Excelansy  Francis  Lord  How- 
ard, Baron  of  Effingham,  his  Majes'  Left.  Gen'l  of  Virgr.  &  ye  Hon'l 
Counsoll  of  States  upon  ye  10th  day  of  ye  next  Gen'l  Court  in  obedience 
to  an  order  of  his  Excell.  to  y't  purpose  to  answer  ye  complaint  of  Mr. 
Lanselott  Bathurst,  attorney  of  ye  vestry  of  Blissland  parish,  concern- 
ing dividing  line  to  be  run  between  ye  parish  of  Blissland  &  ye  parish 
of  St.  Peter's,  according  to  an  agreement  &  conclusion  of  twelve  men 
Elected  by  an  order  of  vestry  of  ye  whole  parish  of  Blissland  before 
ye  same  *  and  this  present  vestry  hath  Ratified  and  confirmed  all 
whatsoever  ye  ?tIason  shall  act  or  do  in  &  aliout  ye  premises  above  s'd." 


141 

The  minutes  of  these  old  meetings,  however,  show  that  the  vestry 
did  not  confine  its  attention  to  matters  of  a  purely  material  nature. 
At  this  time  there  were  two  churches  in  the  parish.  The  vestry  was 
careful  that  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  inhabitants  in  both  neighborhoods 
should  be  looked  after.  It  was  provided  for  that  services  be  held  at 
both  churches  regularly.  Under  date  of  November  25,  1686,  the  vestry- 
book  contains  the  following  entry:  "*  *  *  This  vestry  taking  into 
consideration  the  present  want  of  ye  parish  and  desirous  of  the  ad- 
vancement of  God's  Glory  and  ye  continuance  of  ye  sacred  function 
in  this  parish  do  consent  and  agree  with  ye  said  Mr.  Jno.  Ball  Minis- 
ter to  officiate  as  minister  in  this  s'd  parish  of  St.  Peters  *  *  *  at  ye 
two  churches,  at  ye  lower  Church  one  Sunday  &  at  ye  upper  Churcli 
ye  other  for  this  ensuing  year  from  ye  date  of  these  presents,  at  ye 
rate  of  one  thousand  pr  month.'' 

The  ordinary  morality  of  the  community  was  a  matter  with  which 
the  vestries  of  the  Colonial  period  had  to  concern  themselves  generally. 
The  records  of  St.  Peter's  Parish  show  that  its  vestry  was  at  least 
fully  awake  to  a  sense  of  its  duty  in  this  respect.  Entries  like  the 
following,  under  date  of  October  5,  1687,  are  not  infrequently  met 
with  in  the  vestry-book:  "It  is  ordered  that  Mr.  Thomas  Mitchell  do 
prosecute  ye  woman  servant  belonging  to  Capt.  Jo.  Forster  for  havintr 
a  bastard  child."  In  St.  Peter's  Parish,  too,  as  elsewhere,  the  care  of 
the  poor,  the  lame,  the  maimed,  the  halt,  and  the  blind  devolved  upon 
the  vestry,  and  the  vestry-book  shows  that,  outwardly  at  any  rate, 
this  obligation  was  not  neglected. 

In  spite  of  ail  that  has  been  said,  however,  one  is  hardly  warranted 
in  maintaining  that  at  this  period  religion  was  flourishing  in  New 
Kent  county.  During  the  sixteen  years  from  1684  to  1700,  St.  Peter's 
Parish  had  no  less  than  nine  regular  ministers,  and  the  times — often 
months  in  duration — when  there  was  no  minister  at  all,  were  frequent 
enough.  One  of  these  nine  ministers  was  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Moreau, 
who,  to  quote  the  vestry-book  again,  had  "been  recommended  by  his 
Excell.  and  Mr.  Camesery  unto  this  parish."  What  Mr.  Moreau  thought 
of  his  parish,  of  the  people,  and  of  the  state  of  affairs  and  religion 
generally  in  the  community  can  be  seen  in  the  following  extracts  from 
a  letter  of  his,  dated  April  12,  1697,  written  to  the  Lord  Bishop  of 
Lichfield  and  Coventry,  His  Majesty's  High  Almoner: 
"My  Lord, 

"After  my  dutiful  respects  presented  unto  your  Lordship,  I  make 


142 

bold  to  acquaint  you  that  being  landeJ  in  these  parts  of  Virginia  in 
August  last,  and  being  ready  to  go  for  Maryland,  wherein  yoilr  charity 
hath  vouchsafed  to  recommend  me  to  his  Excellency  Nicholson,  I  heard 
such  great  talk  among  the  Gentlemen  of  this  Country  that  the  said 
Governor  was  to  come  here  to  be  Governor,  that  I  did  resolve  to  settle 
here  if  I  could.  And  his  Excellency  Nicholson  being  here,  would  say 
nothing  of  the  contrary.  His  Grace  of  Canterbury  has  recommended 
me  to  Mr.  Blair,  Commissary,  but  to  no  purpose,  because  the  said 
Commissary  has  cast  an  odium  upon  himself  by  his  great  worldly 
concerns,  so  that  I  was  forced  to  make  use  of  the  commander  of  the 
tleet  who  did  recommend  me  to  this  parish  wherein  I  live  now.  *  *  *  i 
don't  like  this  Country  at  all,  my  Lord,  there  are  so  many  inconven- 
iences in  it  with  which  I  cannot  well  agree.  Your  clergy  in  these 
parts  are  of  a  very  ill  example,  no  discipline,  nor  Canons  of  the  Church 
are  observed  *  *  ♦  Several  Ministers  have  caused  such  high  scandals 
of  late,  and  have  raised  such  prejudices  among  the  people,  that  hardly 
can  they  be  persuaded  to  take  a  minister  in  theic  parish.  As  to  me, 
my  Lord,  I  have  got  in  the  very  worst  parish  of  Virginia  and  most 
troublesome.  Nevertheless  I  must  tell  you  that  I  find  abundance  of 
good  people  who  are  very  willing  to  serve  God,  but  they  want  good 
Ministers;  ministers  that  be  very  pious,  not  wedded  to  this  world,  as 
the  best  of  them  are.  God  has  blest  my  endeavors  so  far  already  that, 
■Vv'ith  his  assistance,  I  have  brought  to  Church  again  two  families,  who 
had  gone  to  the  Quakers'  meeting  for  three  years  past,  and  have  bap- 
tized one  of  their  children  three  years  old.  This  child  being  christened 
took  my  hand  and  told  me:  'You  are  a  naughty  man,  Mr.  Minister, 
yju  hurt  the  child  with  cold  water.'  His  father  and  mother  came  to 
church  constantly,  and  were  persuaded  by  me  to  receive  the  Holy  Com- 
munion at  Easter  day;  which  they  did  perform  accordingly  with  great 
piety  and  respect.  I  have  another  old  Quaker  70  yeai<B  of  age  who  left 
the  Church  these  29  years  ago,  and  hope  to  bring  him  to  church  again 
within  few  weeks.  Lucere  et  non  ardere  parvum:  ardere  et  non  Ulcere, 
hoc  Imperfectnm  est:  lucere  et  ardere,  hoc  perfectum  est:  saith  St. 
Bernard.  If  ministers  were  such  as  they  ought  to  be,  I  dare  say  there 
would  be  no  Quakers  nor  Dissenters.  A  learned  sermon  signifies  next  to 
nothing  without  good  examples.  Longum  Iter  per  praecepta.  Breve 
ovtem  per  Exempla:  I  wish  God  would  put  in  your  mind,  my  Lord,  to 
send  here  an  eminent  Bishop,  who  by  his  piety,  charity,  and  severity  in 
keeping  the  canons  of  the  Church,  might  quicken  these  base  ministers. 


143 

and  force  them  to  mind  the  duty  of  their  charge.  Though  the  whole 
country  of  Virginia  hath  a  great  respect  for  my  Lord  Bishop  of  London, 
they  do  resent  an  high  affront  made  to  their  nation,  because  his  Lord- 
ship has  sent  here  Mr.  Blair,  a  Scotchman,  to  be  Commissary,  a  coun- 
cellor,  .and  President  of  the  College.  1  was  once  in  a  great  company 
of  Gentlemen,  some  of  them  were  Counsellors,  and  they  did  ask  me, 
'Don't  you  think  there  may  be  in  England  amongst  the  English,  a 
clergyman  fit  to  be  Commissary  and  Counsellor  and  President  of  our 
College?'  I  have  wrote  all  these  things,  my  Lord,  freely,  but  have  said 
nothing  by  myself.  It  was  only  to  acquaint  your  Lordship  how  the 
things  are  here.  The  Governor  is  very  well  beloved  by  the  wliole 
country,  but  because  his  time  is  over  they  think  of  another  Governor, 
and  do  desire  earnestly  to  have  his  Excellency  Nicholson,  who  indeed 
is  a  most  excellent  Governor;  and  as  fit  (as  said  to  me,  once,  your 
Lordship)  to  be  a  Bishop  as  to  be  a  Governor.  *  *  ♦  When  I  do  think 
with  myself  of  Governor  Nicholson,  I  do  call  him  the  Right  hand  of 
Grod,  the  father  of  the  Church,  and  more,  a  father  of  the  poor.  An 
eminent  Bishop  of  that  same  character  being  sent  over  here  with  him 
will  make  Hell  tremble  and  settle  the  Church  of  England  in  these  parts 
forever.  This  work,  my  Lord,  is  God's  work  and  if  it  doth  happen 
that  I  see  a  Bishop  come  over  here  I  will  say  as  St.  Bernard  said  in 
his  Epistle  to  Eugenius  Tertius  hie  dicitur  Dei  est.  I  have  been  very 
tedious  to  your  Lordship,  but  God's  concerns  have  brought  me  to  that 
great  boldness.  I  wish  God  give  you  many  years  to  live  for  the  good 
of  his  Church,  over  which  that  you  might  preside  long  will  be  the  con- 
stant prayers  of,  my  Lord, 

Yrs,  &c.,  Nich's  Moreau." 

[Perry's  "Papers  Relating  to  the  Hisiory  of  the  Church  in  Virginia, 
A.  D.   1650-1776,"   pp.   29-33.] 

So  much  for  the  Rev.  Nicholas  Moreau  and  his  impressions.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  he  was  never  given  the  opportunity  to  air  his 
latinity  before  a  Bishop  of  Virginia.  Mr.  Moreau  did  not  continue  at 
his  post  longer  than  the  average  minister  at  this  time.  He  left  at  the 
end  of  the  year  1697  or  the  beginning  of  1698,  whether  driven  away  by 
discouragement  or  not,  history  does  not  say. 

The  first  reference  in  the  Vestry  Book  to  the  present  St.  Peter's 
church  is  found  in  the  record  of  the  minutes  of  the  vestry  meeting 
held  August  13,  1700:  "Whereas  the  Lower  Church  of  this  parish  is 
Very  much  out  of  Repair  and  Standeth  very  inconvenient  for  most  of 


144 

the  inhabitants  of  the  said  parish.  Therefore  ordered  that  as  soon  as 
conveniently  may  be  a  new  Church  of  Briclv  Sixty  feet  long -and  twen- 
ty fower  feet  wide  in  the  cleer  and  fourteen  feet  pitch  with  a  Gallery 
Sixteen  feet  long  be  built  and  Erected  upon  the  maine  Roade  by  the 
School  House  near  Thomas  Jackson's;  and  the  Clerk  is  ordered  to 
give  a  Copy  of  this  order  to  Capt.  Nicho  Merewether  who  is  Requested 
to  show  the  same  to  Will  Hughes  and  desire  him  to  draw  a  Draft  of 
the  said  Church,  and  to  bee  at  the  next  vestry  and  Mr.  Gideon  Macon 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Smith  are  Requested  to  treate  with  and  buy  an  acre 
of  Land  of  Thomas  Jackson  whereon  to  build  the  said  Church  and  for 
a  Church  yard." 

The  fact  that  the  old  church  is  spoken  of  as  being  very  much  out 
of  repair  and  that  brick  is  mentioned  distinctly  as  being  the  material 
out  of  which  the  new  church  is  to  be  constructed,  lead  one  to  infer 
that  this  new  church  was  the  first  one  in  the  parish  to  be  built  of 
brick.  This  inference  is  confirmed  by  the  way  in  which  the  new 
church  is,  with  one  exception,  always  referred  to  in  the  vestry-book. 
It  is  called  invariably  the  "Brick  Church." 

Work  on  the  new  church  was  not  begun  until  about  the  spring  of 
the  year  1701.  By  July,  1703,  the  work  was  so  far  advanced  that  ser- 
vices could  be  held  in  the  building,  for  the  vestry-book  shows  that  a 
vestry  was  held  for  St.  Peter's  Parish  at  the  Brick  Church  on  the  lOth 
of  that  month.  While  this  brick  church  was  in  process  of  erection 
the  vestry,  upon  petition  of  the  upper  mhabitants  of  the  parish,  order 
"that  a  new  Church  or  Chapell  be  built  upon  the  upper  side  of  Me- 
chanips  Creeke  adjoining  to  the  King's  Roade  forty-feet  long  and 
twenty-feet  wyde,  framed  and  planked  in  every  respect  like  to  the 
upper  Church."  St.  Peter's  Parish  now  had  three  places  of  worship, 
besides  the  old  frame  Lower  church  building,  which  was  much  out  of 
repair — namely,  the  new  Lower  church,  called  the  Brick  church;  the 
old  frame  Upper  church,  and  new  frame  chapel. 

On  April  3,  1704,  the  vestry  of  the  parish  agreed  upon  a  division, 
by  which  what  was  afterwards  known  as  St.  Paul's  parish  was  cut  off 
This  new  parish  contained  the  two  frame  upper  churches.  St.  Peter's 
parish  had  now  as  places  of  worship  the  Brick  church  and  the  old 
frame  Lower  church.  Services  in  this  old  building  were  now  resumed, 
as  appears  from  an  entry  in  the  vestry-book  under  date  of  August  18, 
1704:  "Mr.  Richard  Squire  is  Requested  to  preach  two  sermons  in 
every  year  at  the  old  Church,  commonly  known  by  ye  name  of  ye  Bro- 
ken back'd  Church." 


145 

The  Tew  Brick  churcl'  oi  St.  Peter's  Parish  was  a  plain  rectangulai- 
structure,  sixty  feet  long  by  twenty-four  wide.  For  upwards  of  twenty 
years  this  building  remained  unaltered,  and  nothing  was  done  to 
change  the  appearance  of  the  place  except  that  in  the  year  1719  it  was 
ordered  that  a  wall  of  brick  be  built  round  the  church  yard,  "s'd  wall 
to  be  in  all  Respects  as  well  done  as  the  Capitol  wall  in  Williams- 
burgh."  Toward  the  end  of  the  year  1722,  however,  a  belfry  was  erect- 
ed at  the  west  end  of  the  church,  and  in  the  year  1740  an  entry  in  the 
vestry-book  states  that  "the  Minister  and  Vestry  of  this  Parish  have 
Agreed  with  Mr.  Wm.  Worthe,  of  the  Parish  of  St.  Paul,  in  the  County 
of  Stafford,  Builder,  to  Erect  and  Build  a  Steeple  and  Vestry  Room 
according  to  a  Plan  Delivered  into  the  Vestry  drawn  by  the  S'd  Walter 
(?)  for  the  Consideration  of  One  hundred  &  thirty  Pounds  at  times  to 
be  paid."  In  the  same  year  "the  Summe  of  Twenty  Pounds"  is  or- 
dered to  be  paid  out  for  the  erection  of  a  "Porch  according  to 
Agreem't,  &  white  washing  &  other  Repairs  of  the  inside  of  the 
Church."  Such  minor  alterations  and  repairs  as  have  been  made  to 
the  old  church  since  1740  have  not  changed  its  outward  appearance 
to  any  great  extent.  There  is  now  an  attractive  mellowness  of  age 
about  the  building;  in  other  respects  St.  Peter's  looks  to-day  much  as  it 
did  toward  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

Under  date  of  November  20,  1752,  there  is  an  entry  in  the  vestry  min 
utes  in  which  the  "Brick  Church"  is  referred  to  as  "St.  Peter's  Church." 
So  far  as  known  to  the  writer  this  is  the  first  time  that  the  name 
"St.  Peter's"  was  ever  given  to  this  church.  (The  fact  is  not,  however, 
to  be  denied  that  between  the  years  1684  and  1698  one  of  the  churches 
in  St.  Peter's  Parish  was  frequently  referred  to  as  "St.  Peter's  Churcii"' 
by  the  then  clerk  of  the  vestry.  On  the  other  hand  it  is  to  be  noted 
that  he  refers  to  the  same  church  under  the  names  "Christ's  Church 
in  St.  Peter's,"  "ye  Church  of  St.  Peter's  Parish,"  and  "St.  Peter's 
Parish  Church."  See  Vestry  Book  in  loc.)  The  church  is  not  again 
referred  to  as  "St.  Peter's"  in  the  book.  In  these  times  it  was  always 
known  P.nd  referred  to  as  the  "Brick  Church,"  just  as  the  church  of 
Bristol  parish,  known  now  as  Old  Blandford,  which  was  erected  be- 
tween 1734  and  1737,  was  always  spoken  of  in  Colonial  times  as  the 
"Brick  Church."  Perhaps  some  one  better  informed  than  the  writer 
can  say  whether  Christ  church,  Lancaster  county,  [See  Southern 
Churchman  for  December  1,  1906,]  was  not  also  always  referred  to 
in  early  days  as  the  "Brick  Church,"  and   whether  its  present   name 


146 

of  "Christ  church"  was  not  a  creation  ol'  comparatively  modern  times 
and  derived  from  the  name  of  the  parish.  In  the  opinion  of  the  writer 
the  names  of  Christ  and  the  Saints  as  officially  applied  to  churches  in 
Virginia  was  practically  unknown  before  the  American  Revolution. 
St.  Paul's  church.  Norfolk,  erected  in  1739,  was  long  known  as  the 
"l.'orough"  or  "Parish"  church.  [See  Southern  Churchman  for  No- 
vember 3,  1906.]  St.  John's  church,  Richmond,  was  not  called  by  (hat 
name  before  1818.  [See  Southern  Churchman  for  November  17,  1906], 
w'hile  St.  Luke's  church,  Isle  of  Wight  county,  was  known  as  the  "Old 
Brick  church"  until  1827  or  1828.  [See  open  letter,  "Colonial  Churches 
and  Clergy,"  Southern  Churchman  for  February  16,  1907.] 

But  enough  of  this  digression.  Let  us  return  to  the  subject  of  St. 
Peter's,  in  New  Kent  county,  and  in  the  next  place  learn  something 
about  Mr.  Mossom,  its  most  famous  minister. 

The  Rev.  David  Mossom,  or  Parson  Mossom,  as  he  was  generally 
called,  is  well  known  in  the  annals  of  the  Colonial  Church  in  Virginia 
— though  by  no  means  on  account  of  the  eloquence  of  his  discourses. 
Many  things  have  conspired  together  to  keep  Parson  Mossom's  memory 
green.  In  the  first  place,  he  ministered  to  St.  Peter's  church  for 
nearly  forty  years — a  circumstance  extraordinary  enough  in  itself  to 
cause  some  surprise,  when  it  is  recalled  that  the  length  of  the  average 
tenure  of  olfice  in  the  parish  before  his  time  was  less  than  two  and 
a  half  years.  Then,  too,  his  irascible  temper  was  against  his  being 
forgotten. 

In  his  "Autobiography,"  Parson  Jarratt,  of  Bath  Parish,  another  of 
Virginia's  famous  divines  of  the  period,  tells  a  good  story  on  Mr.  Mos- 
som. It  seems  that  one  day  the  minister  of  St.  Peter's  had  a  quarrel 
with  his  clerk,  and  assailed  him  from  the  pulpit  in  his  sermon.  The 
sermon  over,  the  clerk,  nothing  daunted,  gave  out  from  b.is  desk  the 
2d  Psalm,  containing  the  lines, 

"With   restless  and   ungovern'd   rage, 

Why  do  the  heatlien  storm? 
Why  in  such  rash  attempts  engage, 

As  they  can  ne'er  perform?" 

a  method  of  revenge  as  humorous  as  it  was  i)ointed. 

Bishop  Meade  evidently  thought  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom's  anger 
was  to  l)e  classed  i-ather  with  the  venial  than  among  the  mortal  sins, 
for  after  relating  the  incident  just  given,  he  writes:     "He    (i.  e..  Mr. 


147 

Mossom)  was  married  four  times,  and  much  harrassed  by  his  last 
wife,  as  Col.  Bassett  has  often  told  me,  which  may  account  for  and 
somewhat  excuse  a  little  peevishness." 

Rev.  David  Mossom  officiated  at  the  marriage  of  George  Washington 
and  the  Widow  Custis.  Some  persons  have  thought  that  the  ceremony 
was  performed  at  St.  Peter's  church.  Bishop  Meade,  however,  is  au- 
thority for  the  statement  that  the  marriage  took  place  at  the  "White 
House,"  the  home  of  Mrs.  Custis,  on  the  Pamunkey  river,  several  miles 
from  the  church.  Mr.  Mossom  died  on  the  4th  of  January,  1767.  His 
monument,  still  to  be  seen  in  St.  Peter's  church,  within  the  chancel, 
bears  the  following  inscription: 

"Reverendus  David  Mossom  prope  Jacet, 

Collegii   St.  Joannis  Cantabrigiae  obiti,  Alumnus, 

Hujus   Parochiae   Rector  Annes   Quadraginta, 

Omnibus   Ecclesiae  Anglicanae   Presbyteriis 

Inter   Americanos   Ordine   Presbyteratus    Primus; 

Literatura   Paucis   secundus. 

Qui   tandem   senis   et   Moerore   Coniectus 

Ex  variis  Rebus  arduis  quas  in  hac  vita  perpessus  est 

Mortisq:   in  dies  memor  ideo  virens  et  valens 

Sibi  hunc  seulpturae  locum  posuit  et  elegit 

Uxoribus  Elizabetha  et  Maria  quidem  juxta  sepultis 

Ubi  requirescat  dones  resuscitatus  ad  vitam  Eternam 

Per  Jesum  Christum  salvatorem   nostrum 

Qualis   erat,   indicant  illi  quibus   benenotus 

Superstiles  Non  hoc  sepulchrale  saxum 

Londini  Natus  25  Martii  1690 

Obiit   4   Janii   1767. 

Bishop  Meade  followed  by  the  writer  of  an  article  in  the  "William 
and  Mary  College  Quarterly,"  Vol.  V.,  p.  81,  interprets  the  epitaph 
as  saying  that  Mr.  Mossom  was  an  American  by  birth.  But  to  the 
writer  of  this  article  "Londini  Natus"  seems  to  point  unmistakably 
to  England  as  Mr.  Mossom's  native  land. 

After  giving  so  much  space  to  St.  Peter's  famous  minister  it  seems 
unfair  to  dismiss  with  a  word  the  people  who  "sat  under"  him.  But 
nothing  more  can  be  done  here,  for  in  this  case,  as  always,  history, 
dealing  leniently  with  all  save  those  in  public  life,  has  preserved  but 
a    memory    of    them — the    name — and    of    many    of    them    not    even    a 


148 

memory.  However,  the  following  list,  c;ontaining  the  names  of  vestry- 
men of  the  parish  in  the  pei'iod  between  1685  and  1758  will  not  be 
without   interest: 

George  Jones,  William  Bassett,  Stephen  Carlton,  Henry  Wyatt, 
Thomas  Mitchell,  John  Parke.  William  Paisley,  John  Rever  (?),  Cor- 
nelius Dabney,  Gideon  Macon,  Matthew  Page,  George  Smith,  John 
Roger,  David  Crawford,  James  Moss,  John  Lydall,  Joseph  Forster, 
John  Lewis,  Nicholas  Merriwether,  John  Parke,  Jr.,  Richard  Little- 
page,  Thomas  Butts,  Thomas  Massie,  William  Waddell,  Henry  Childs, 
Robert  Anderson,  Richard  Allen,  Samuel  Gray,  Ebenezer  Adams, 
Charles  Lewis,  Charles  Massie,  Walton  Clopton,  William  Macon,  John 
Netherland,  William  Brown,  William  Marston,  David  Patterson,  Wil- 
liam Chamberlayne,  Michael  Sherman,  John  Dandridge,  Daniel  Parke 
Custis,  Matthew  Anderson,  George  Webb,  William  Hopkins,  Jesse  Scott, 
Edmund  Bacon,  William  Vaughan,  William  Clayton  and  John  Roper. 

On  the  inner  wall  of  the  chancel  of  St.  Peter's,  opposite  the  memorial 
tablet  to  Parson  Mossom,  is  another  to  William  Chamberlayne.  vestry- 
man, and  for  many  years  one  of  the  church  wardens  of  the  parish. 
The  inscription  reads  as  follows: 

M  S 

Near  this  place  lyes  interred  ye 

Body  of  Mr.  William  Chamberlayne 

Late  of  this  Parish  Mercht. 

Descended  of  an  ancient  &  Worthy   Family 
in  the  County  of  Hereford. 

He  married  Elizabeth  ye  eldest  Daughter 

of   Richard   Littlepage  of  this   County, 

by  whom  he  has  left  is^sue  three  Sons, 

Edward  Pye,  Thomas  &  Richard. 

&  two  Daughters,  Mary  &  Elizabeth. 

Ob:    2   Aiigt.   173G   Aetat  36 

Hoc  Marmor  exiguum  sumnii  amoris 

Monumentum  posuit  Conjux  moestissima. 

1737 

Also  Ann  Kidly  Born  Sense 

Her  Father's  Decease. 

M.  Sidnell  Bristol  fecit. 


149 

From  Bishop  Meade  one  learns  that  Rev.  Mr.  Mossom  was  succeeded 
in  office  "by  the  Rev.  James  Semple,  who  continued  the  minister  of  the 
tarish  for  twenty-two  years.  The  Rev.  Benjamin  Blagrove  was  the 
minister  in  the  year  1789.  The  Rev.  Benjamin  Brown  was  the  min- 
ister in  the  year  1797. 

"After  a  long  and  dreary  interval  of  nearly  fifty  years,  we  find  the 
Rev.  E.  A.  Dalrymple  the  minister  from  1843  to  1845.  (The  Rev. 
Farley  Berkeley  officiated  some  time  before  this  as  missionary  at 
St.  Peter's  church.)  Then  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Maguire,  from  1845  to  1851. 
Then  the  Rev.  William  Norwood,  froni  1852  to  1854.  Then  the  Rev. 
David  Caldwell,  from  1854  to  1856."  [Bishop  Meade's  "Old  Churches, 
Ministers  and  Families  of  Virginia.  Philadelphia,"  1872,  Vol.  I.,  p. 
3S6.g 

Bishop  Meade  finished  writing  his  book  in  May,  1857.  Four  years 
later  the  Civil  War  broke  out.  A  correspondent,  writing  in  the  i^oiith- 
ern  Churchman  for  February  9,  1907,  gives  the  following  account  of 
affairs  at  St.  Peter's  immediately  before,  during,  and  after  the  war: 

"Just  before  the  Civil  War,  St.  Peter's  had  a  large  and  prosperous 
congregation.  During  the  war  the  church  was  abominably  defaced 
by  the  Federal  soldiers,  who  stabled  their  horses  in  the  church,  and 
seemed  to  take  great  pleasure  in  ruining  it.  A  company  of  soldiers 
from  Hartford,  Conn.,  wrote  their  names  on  the  inner  walls  of  the 
porte  cochere.  and  left  many  other  marks  of  their  occupancy.  Those 
of  the  congregation  who  were  not  killed  either  never  returned  with 
their  families,  moved  away,  or  had  all  they  could  do  to  live  in  any 
instance.  Among  all  these  things  the  people  devotedly  set  to  work 
to  renew  and  repair  the  church.  The  rector,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Kepler, 
was  largely  instrumental  in  this,  and  received  large  contributions 
from  wealthy  gentlemen  living  at  the  North.  After  some  years,  he 
and  his  people  succeeded  in  having  the  church  thoroughly  repaired, 
and  it  has  been  kept  so  ever  since,  chiefly  by  the  faithful  few  Epis- 
copalians to  whom  the  church  is  very  dear  and  very  sacred." 

The  interior  of  St.  Peter's  church  as  it  appears  to-day  demands  at 
least  a  passing  notice.  The  high,  plastered  walls,  marked  off  in  blocks 
and  colored  a  soft  grey,  the  but  partially  carpeted  floor,  the  simply 
designed  benches  painted  a  sober  brown,  finally  the  large,  deep-set 
windows,  filled  with  plain  glass,  make  together  a  not  unpleasing  pic- 
ture— a  picture  somewhat  severe  in  its  simplicity,  but  not  without  the 
advantage  of  offering  little  to  distract  the  worshipper's  attention  from 


150 

service  or  sermon.  The  two  mural  tablets,  whose  inscriptions  have 
been  given,  are  the  only  objects  approaching  to  the  ornamental  to 
be  seen  in  the  church,  and  they  are  completely  hidden  by  thin  wing- 
like partition  walls,  cutting  off  a  part  of  the  sanctuary  space  on  either 
side  the  communion  table.  These  walls  are  modern.  The  object  had 
in  view  in  building  them  was  rather  that  of  adding  attractiveness  to 
the  chancel  than  to  provide  robing  space  for  the  clergyman,  a  pur- 
pose which  the  somewhat  closet-like  rooms  so  made  but  imperfectly 
fulfill. 

St.  Peter's  church  is  within  easy  driving  distance  of  Tunstall's 
Station,  on  the  York  River  branch  of  the  Southern  Railway.  This 
station  is  distant  just  about  twenty  miles  each  from  Richmond  and 
West  Point,  the  two  terminals  of  the  line. 

In  the  autumn  of  1898  Bishop  Whittle  issued  to  the  son  and 
nephew  of  the  then  Bishop  Coadjutor  of  Virginia  licenses  to  read  the 
service  in  St.  Peter's.  Since  that  time  the  doors  of  the  old  church 
have  bef.n  open  for  divine  service  with  more  or  less  regularity.  The 
last  rector,  the  Rev.  Charles  J.  Holt,  died  during  the  year  1906.  He 
had  been  connected  with  the  parish  which  he  held  along  with  West 
Point,  only  since  1904.  At  present  a  lay  reader,  with  headquarters 
at  West  Point,  holds  service  in  St.  Peter's  on  one  Sunday  in  the 
month. 

To-day,  after  more  than  two  hundred  years  of  authenticated  history, 
St.  Peter's  church  stands,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  as  good  as 
new,  a  monument  to  those  who  built  and  worshipped  in  it. 


ST.  JOHN'S  CHURCH,  ELIZABETH  CITY  PARISH, 
HAMPTON,  VIRGINIA. 

BY   THE   EEV.   REVERDY   ESTILL,   D.   D.,    RECTOR. 

THE  forefathers  of  our  English  Christianity  came  to  this  country 
April,  1607,  and  landed  first  upon  that  point  of  land  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Chesapeake  Bay,  which  is  now  so  familiarly  known  as 
Cape  Henry,  to  which  also  they  gave  the  name.  After  their 
long  voyage  they  revelled  in  the  beauty  of  the  verdure  and  in  the 
vastness  of  the  wooded  glory  about  them,  feeling  that  they  had  come 
upon  a  goodly  land,  while  they  dreamed  of  the  wealth  which  should 
come  to  them  from  so  rich  a  soil.  There  they  would  have  continued 
and  planted  the  first  colony  upon  so  favorable  a  spot  had  not  their 
leader  been  enjoined  to  seek  further  inland  for  a  more  permanent 
settlement,  as  the  danger  from  their  near  neighbor  and  rival  in  the 
scheme  of  American  Colonization  was  imminent  anywhere  upon  the 
coast;  a  danger  which  might  be  escaped  by  sailing  further  up  the 
great  body  of  water  which  came  from  the  interior.  They  therefore 
set  sail  in  their  three  tiny  ships  and  landed  at  a  small  village  or 
settlement  of  the  Indians,  called  in  their  language  Kecoughtan.  "The 
town,"  says  one  of  the  authorities,  "containeth  eighteen  houses,  pleas- 
antly seated  upon  three  acres  of  ground,  upon  a  plain  half  environed 
by  a  great  bay  of  the  great  River,  the  other  part  with  a  Baye  of  the 
other  river  falling  into  the  great  baye,  with  a  little  isle  fit  for  a  castle 
in  the  mouth  thereof:  The  town  adjoining  the  maine  by  a  necke  of 
land  sixty  yards." 

Captain  John  Smith  gives  a  quaint  yet  interesting  description  of 
the  place:  "The  houses,"  says  he,  "are  built  like  our  arbors — of  small 
young  springs  (sprigs)  bowed  and  tiede  and  so  close  covered  with 
moss  or  barks  of  trees,  very  handsomely,  that  notwithstanding  either 
wind,  rain  or  weather,  they  are  warm  as  stoves,  but  very  smokey, 
yet  at  the  top  of  the  houses  there  is  a  hole  made  for  the  smoke  to 
go  into  right  over  the  fire."  After  this  time  the  town  was  again 
visited  by  the  whites.  He  writes  for  instance  of  the  year  1608:  "Six 
or  seven  days  the  extreme  wind,  frosts  and  snows  caused  us  to  keep 
Christmas  among  the  salvages  where  we  were  never  merrier  or  fedde 


152 

on  more  plente  of  good  oysters,  fish,  flesh,  wilde  fowl  and  good  bread, 
nor  never  had  better  fires  in  England  than  in  the  warm  smokie  houses 
of  Kecoughtan."  It  has  "a  convenient  harbour  for  fisheries,  boats 
or  small  boats,  that  so  conveniently  turneth  itself  into  Bayes  and 
Creeks  that  make  that  place  very  pleasant  to  inhabit.  Their  corn- 
fields being  girded  thereon  as  peninsulars.  The  first,  and  next  the 
mouth,  are  the  Kecoughtans,  who  beside  their  women  and  children, 
have  not  pass  twenty  fighting  men."  Such  a  goodly  place  could 
hardly  escape  the  cupidity  of  the  early  settlers,  and  so  we  find  them 
1610  in  possession  of  the  mouth  of  the  river,  where  upon  either  point 
they  built  a  fort  and  entered  into  permanent  occupation. 

With  regard  to  the  fruitfulness  of  the  place,  we  find  Sir  Thomas 
Dale  writing  from  Jamestown  in  1612:  "To  Kecoughtan  we  ac- 
counted it  fortie  miles,  where  they  live  well  with  half  that  allowance 
the  rest  have  from  the  stores,  because  of  the  extraordinary  quantities 
of  fish,  fowls  and  deer."  Under  this  view  of  the  place,  it  is  much 
to  be  regretted  that  the  Colonists  did  not  settle  here  when  they  first 
touched  the  land  in  1607,  instead  of  going  on  to  the  malarial,  marshy, 
sickly  spot  which  they  did  select.  Their  early  history  might  have 
been  spared  the  ghastly  record  of  famine,  fire,  starvation  and  death, 
which  well-nigh  brought  the  settlement  at  Jamestown  to  extinction. 
At  any  rate,  a  permanent  location  was  made  at  Kecoughtan  in  1610, 
and  from  that  moment  dates  the  history  of  the  Church  in  Hampton. 

It  seems  that  the  Indians,  who  dwelt  upon  the  east  side  of  the 
South  Hampton  river  or  creek,  which  runs  through  the  present  town 
(it  is  now  called  Hampton  creek)  were  guilty  of  some  serious  depre- 
dations that  year,  and  had  killed  a  prominent  member  of  the  Colony, 
Humphrey  Blunt  by  name.  This  so  incensed  the  Governor  that  he 
drove  the  tribe  away,  built  the  two  forts  mentioned  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river  and  named  them,  respectively,  Henry  and  Charles,  after 
the  sons  of  his  Most  Worshipful  Majesty,  King  James  I. 

The  Colonists  evidently  occupied  the  site  of  the  ancient  Indian 
village  and  became  heirs  of  all  their  possessions,  where  without  doubt 
the  first  church  was  built.  There  is  left  not  a  trace  of  this  first 
building  in  which  the  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  worshipped,  except 
a  small  clump  of  trees  on  what  was  once  the  glebe  land  of  the 
parish,  now  part  of  the  estate  of  the  Tabb  family,  just  north  of  the 
road  which  leads  from  Hampton  to  Old  Point  Comfort.  The  building 
was  supposedly  of  wood,  as  most  of  the  Colonial  houses  were  at  first. 


153 

yet  it  answered  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  erected  and  in  wliich 
the  Colonists  rejoiced  to  hold  their  services  for  many  years.  The 
Rev.  William  Mease  was  the  worthy  rector  from  1610  to  1620,  when 
he  was  almost  immediately  succeeded  by  other  like-minded  godly  men 
in  the  rectorship. 

We  hear  very  little  about  either  village  or  church  until  1619, 
except  that  Mr.  John  Rolfe  states  that  in  1616  it  was  a  place  of  twenty 
inhabitants,  who  seemed  to  be  more  industrious  than  those  who  re- 
mained at  Jamestown,  and  were  as  a  consequence  reaping  more  of  the 
fruits  of  their  labors.  In  the  year  1619,  when  William  Tucker  and 
William  Capps  represented  it  in  the  House  of  Burgesses,  they  were 
commissioned  to  sue  that  body  for  a  change  of  name.  Says  an  old 
chronicler  of  that  event:  "The  year  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  when 
Jamestown  was  twelve  years  old,  I  guess,  some  people  in  pious  frame 
of  mind,  took  a  spite  at  Kecoughtan  name,  and  said  a  name  so  heathen 
should  not  be  for  a  people  so  pious  as  we,  and  suggesting  some  other 
names,  they  made  their  grudges  to  old  King  James,  and  so  the  king 
a  new  found,  for  this  fine  section  and  all  around."  We  quite  indorse 
the  sentiment  immediately  following  in  this  statement  and  could 
well  wish  that  the  pious  scruples  of  our  excellent  first  citizens  might 
have  been  shown  in  some  less  objectionable  way;  "but,"  says  the  record, 
with  a  fine  touch  of  humor,  "I  will  leave  it  to  any  man,  was  not 
musical  Kecoughtan,  if  not  pious,  as  pretty  as  the  name  Elizabeth 
City?" 

This  is  interesting  at  least  from  the  circumstance  that  it  may  fur- 
nish a  clue  for  the  substitution  of  so  many  common-place  English 
names  for  the  more  beautiful  designations  employed  by  the  savages. 
James,  for  instance,  as  a  name  for  the  mighty  stream  which  runs 
through  the  country  close  at  hand,  is  dear  to  us  all  from  the  asso- 
ciations of  these  old  days,  when  the  English  settled  upon  its  banks, 
and  the  stirring  events  of  later  fuller  years;  but  these  associations 
would  not  have  been  the  less  dear  had  the  earlier  name  Powhatan 
teen  retained,  while  doubtless  the  present  generation  would  have 
known  more  of  those  doughty  warriors  whom  the  English  replaced. 
These  ancient  names  will,  in  all  probability,  be  brought  to  light  in 
the  revival  of  historic  interest  now  arisen  concerning  this  section. 
Will  it  be  altogether  too  Quixotic  for  us  to  hope  that  some  of  them 
at  least  will  be  restored  to  their  original  places  and  the  meaningless 
names  now  in  use  banished?     The  name  Kecoughtan  does  not  appear 


154 

regularly  in  legal  documents  from  thib  time,  but  the  common  people 
used  it  constantly  in  their  speech  and  writings.  The  new  name,  Eliza- 
beth City,  was  called  after  the  daughter  of  King  James  I. 

At  that  time  the  whole  number  of  settlements  was  included  in  four 
great  corporations,  of  which  Elizabeth  City  was  one.  This  corpora- 
tion was  co-extensive  with  the  parish.  Among  the  early  ministers 
was  one  Jonas  Stockton,  who  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  being,  says 
President  Tyler,  of  William  and  Mary  College,  "the  earliest  exponent 
of  the  idea  that  the  only  good  Indian  is  a  dead  Indian."  Stockton 
had  warned  the  settlers  of  the  impending  massacre  of  1622,  and  it  was 
possibly  while  suffering  from  the  panic  of  the  times  that  he  ad- 
vanced the  famous  idea,  for  otherwise,  from  all  accounts,  he  was  a 
godly  and  humane  man 

At  this  time,  1623,  there  lived  within  the  bounds  of  the  parish  the 
first  English  couple  married  in  Virginia,  John  Layden  and  Anna, 
his  wife,  with  their  children,  Virginia,  Alice  and  Kathlene.  It  is  also 
to  be  noted  that  Virginia  Layden  was  the  firsjt  English  child  born 
In  America  after  Virginia  Dare,  born  on  Roanoke  Island,  Raleigh's 
Colony,  whose  history  ends  with  her  birth.  In  1624  another  child 
was  born  to  these  parents.  Layden  is  listed  as  a  carpenter,  and  his 
wife,  Anne  Buras,  as  a  ladies'  maid. 

The  corporation  of  Elizabeth  City  developed  into  Elizabeth  City 
county  in  1634,  when,  for  the  convenience  of  the  inhabitants  of  Vir- 
ginia, the  whole  country  was  divided  into  eight  counties.  The  county 
of  Elizabeth  City,  however,  is  now  much  smaller  than  it  was  at  that 
time,  since  it  has  lost  large  portions  of  its  area  to  Norfolk,  Nansemond 
and  Warwick  counties,  respectively.  It  is  interesting  to  note  when 
Harvey  became  Governor,  on  January  18,  1636-7,  he  read  his  new  com- 
mission in  the  church  at  Elizabeth  City. 

The  town  of  Hampton,  where  the  present  St.  John's  church  is  lo- 
cated, was  founded  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature  in  1680,  though  that 
act  was  suspended  and  re-enacted  in  1691  and  again  in  1705,  whence 
the  legal  existence  of  Hampton  is  dated.  What  became  of  the  old 
church  in  the  meanwhile  is  problematical,  since  a  writer  in  1716, 
while  recording  that  it  was  a  place  of  some  hundred  houses,  said 
that  it  was  without  a  church.  Services  were  held  at  the  court-house 
with  more  or  less  frequency,  first  in  the  old,  then  in  the  new.  This 
might  lead  us  to  believe  that  the  old  church  of  Kecoughtan  had  dis- 
appeared.    That  was  probably  the  case  at  the   time.     The  settlement 


155  "         --^    .    • 

had  changed,  had  been  removed  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  and 
the  old  building,  being  disused,  as  was  natural,  went  to  decay.  There 
was  a  church,  though,  at  Pembroke  farm,  about  one  mile  west  of  the- 
present  site  of  St.  John's,  where  are  the  tombs  of  some  of  the  older 
inhabitants;  among  them  "the  tombs  in  black  marble  of  Admiral 
Neville,  erected  in  1G07;  of  Thomas  Curie,  1700;  of  Peter  Hayman, 
1700,  and  of  the  Rev.  Andrew  Thompson,  1719."  This  church  was 
new  in  the  year  1667,  while  the  old  church  on  the  site  of  ancient 
Kecoughtan  was  still  standing.  It  was  built  of  wood,  the  brick  foun- 
dation of  which  was  thoroughly  identified  under  the  leadership  of 
the  Rev.  John  C.  McCabe  in  1856. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  state  that  fie  site  of  this  church,  together 
with  a  plot  of  ground  adjoining  and  surrounding  it  of  about  nine  acres 
in   extent,   is   now   owned   by   Elizabeth   City   Parish.     This   may   have 
been  part  of  a  glebe,  though  there  are  at  present  no  available  records 
in    evidence    of    this    statement.     It    is    the    intention    of    the    present 
vestry  to  hold  this  property  for  a  burial  ground  for  the  parish,  and 
to  use  it  for  that  purpose  when  the  present  St.  John's  Cemetery  has 
no    more    available   plots   for    interment.     The    records    in    the    county 
clerk's    office   show    that    in    1667    a   certain    Mr.    Nicholas    Baker    was 
buried    in    the    new    church    at    Kichotan,    according   to    the    terms    of 
his   will,   while  a   Mr.   Robert   Brough   was   buried    in   the   old   church 
at  Kichotan.     This  not  only  shows  a  curious  revival  or  retention  of 
the  Indian  name,  long  discontinued  as  an  official  title,   but  also   ihat 
there  were  two  churches  in  the  parish  at  that  date.     What  became  of 
the    old    church    must,    we    suppose,    be    forever    a    mystery.     Bishop 
Meade,    it  seems,   knew    nothing   of   it.     While    he    identifies    the    new 
church  at  Pembroke  with  the  present  old  St.  John's  church,  it  is  need- 
less to  say  that  he  is  mistaken,  as  records  now  at  hand   abundantly 
show.     Whether  this  was   in  ruins  in  the  year  1706,  when  it  is  said 
of  Hampton  "that  it  had  no  church,"  we  do  not  know.     At  any  rate, 
it    was    at    a    distance    too    remote    for    the    inhabitants    of    the    then 
thriving  borough   to   attend.     So   there   speedily   arose   a   desire   for  a 
new  church  more  conveniently  located.     Unfortunately,  there  was  some 
difference  of  opinion   with   reference   to   the   location,   and   the  matter 
being  referred  to  the  governor,  it  was  decided  by  him  that  the  church 
should  be  built  within  the  precincts  o^  the  town  of  Hampton.     It  is 
of  record  that  at  a  "Couit  held  Jan.  17,  1727 — Present  James  Walker, 
Joshua  Curie,  James  Wallace,  Wilson  Gary,  justices;   Mr.  Jacob  Walker 


156 

and  Mr.  John  Loury  were  appointed  to  lay  off  an  acre  and  a  half  of 
ground  at  the  upper  end  of  Queen  stre>it  for  the  building  of -a  church 
thereon."  This  land  joined  the  lot  of  one  Proswells  and  is  the  same 
lot  upon  which  the  present  church  building  stanrls.  The  minister  and 
church  wardens  of  the  parish,  together  with  The  aforesaid  court, 
entered  into  a  contract  with  a  Mr.  Henry  Gary  to  furnish  him  with 
wood  from  the  school  grounds  "at  thj  rate  of  sixpence  per  load  to 
burn  bricks  for  the  church."  The  bricks  were  to  be  English  bricks; 
that  is  to  say,  of  the  shape  and  character  of  those  made  in  England. 
Hence  we  suppose  arose  the  fiction  long  indulged  in  that  the  church 
and  other  early  colonial  buildings  were  built  of  bricks  brought  fi-om 
England.  Until  a  few  years  ago  there  was  a  large  hole  in  the  church- 
yard, wherein  it  is  said  the  bricks  were  made  and  burned. 

The  parish  henceforth  increased  gradually  in  strength  and  numbers 
until  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  when  the  church  met  with  such  ir- 
reverent use  as  befell  many  of  our  buildings  during  that  sad  time. 
But  after  a  short  interval  the  services  were  renewed,  and  the  sound 
of  the  church-going  bell  was  heard  in  the  place,  with  few  intermissions, 
until  the  war  of  1812.  The  bell  just  mtntioned  was  purchased  for  the 
church  from  funds  received  from  the  sale  of  lands  given  by  Mr. 
Alexander  Kennedy,  in  1760,  the  parisn  having  entered  into  the  con- 
ditions made  by  Mr.  Kennedy  that  the  vestry  and  church  wardens 
should  build  a  suitable  belfry  after  his  decease.  This  belfry  was 
struck  by  lightning  during  the  period  of  the  Revolution  and  the  royal 
coat  of  arms  was  hurled  to  the  ground.  Happily,  only  the  tower  was 
damaged,  but  we  can  imagine  the  patriots  shaking  themselves  with 
glee  over  what  many  gathered  to  be  an  act  of  divine  approval  of 
their  cause.  But  the  tower  was  again  struck  by  lightning  in  1844. 
Was  that,  too,  significant  of  later  events?  When  Hampton  was  sacked 
and  plundered  in  1812  by  the  British  under  Admiral  Cockburn.  the 
church  was  desecrated  and  turned  into  a  barrack.  Great  indignity 
was  offered  to  the  inhabitants  by  the  troops,  while  the  most  un- 
speakable crimes  were  wrought  in  the  streets.  Says  Dr.  McCabe: 
"The  Church  of  God  was  not  spared  during  the  saturnalia  of  lust  and 
violence.  His  temple  was  profaned  and  desecrated.  It  became  a 
refuge  for  the  owls  and  the  bats,  while  cattle  roamed  in  the  yard, 
which  was  used  as  a  slaughter  ground  for  the  butcher  and  the  arena 
for  pugilistic  contests.  Thereafter  a  strange  lethargy  seems  to  have 
settled   upon   the  people.     The  church  was  gradually   permitted    to  go 


157 

to  decay,  until,  in  1824,  there  was  nothing  left  of  it  but  the  bare 
walls  and  a  leaking  roof.  A  most  pathetic  recital  of  the  ruinous  con- 
dition of  the  building  is  given  in  a  letter  to  Bishop  Meade  (see  his 
Old  Churches,  etc..  Vol.  1,  p.  22G)  by  one  who  saw  this  Zlon  in  the 
time  of  her  humiliation.  There  were  tew  loyal  souls  remaining  who 
longed  and  prayed  for  the  restoration  ot  the  church  which  they  were 
to  see  again  rise  and  become  a  blessing  to  the  community.  In  1824 
Bishop  Moore  gave  them  the  inspiration  of  his  presence,  and  held  a 
service  in  the  ruins,  whereupon  the  work  of  restoration  immediately 
began,  and  was  prosecuted  vigorously  to  its  completion.  The  happy 
result  occurred  in  1827,  when  by  action  of  the  vestry  the  church 
was  named  St.  John's.  Bishop  Moore  consecrated  the  building  in 
1830. 

Under  a  succession  of  worthy  ministers  the  church  prospered  until 
1861,  when  it  again  fell  on  evil  days,  'the  Civil  War  had  begun,  when, 
on  the  night  of  August  the  7th  and  8th,  1861,  upon  the  approach 
of  the  Federal  forces,  the  inhabitants,  under  the  command  of  General 
Magruder,  set  fire  to  their  own  homes,  in  attestation  of  their  loyalty 
to  the  State  and  their  confidence  in  the  cause  of  the  Confederacy, 
and  to  prevent  it  falling  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies.  In  the 
general  conflagration  the  church  was  burned — only  the  walls  were  left 
standing — when  again  it  became  a  refuge  for  the  owls  and  the  bats. 
Squatters,  who  quickly  seized  upon  the  land,  built  their  shacks  against 
the  walls  and  used  the  interior  spaces  to  shelter  their  cattle.  Only 
a  few  houses  in  the  town  escaped  the  fire,  and  of  these  only  one 
stands  to-day,  but  so  altered  as  to  be  unrecognizable.  Services  were, 
however,  held  in  the  parish  at  Old  Point,  when  the  town  itself  was 
rebuilt,  in  the  court-house  and  other  such  other  places  as  were  avail- 
able. Then  the  lower  story  of  Patrick  Henry  Hall,  situated  on  the 
west  side  of  the  court-house,  was  secured  and  fitted  up  as  a  chapel. 
As  soon  as  the  people  were  able,  after  the  rebuilding  of  tneir  own 
homes,  in  their  poverty,  yet  in  their  faith,  they  set  anout  the  restor£ 
tion  of  the  fire  scarred  church.  The  walls  were  intact,  though  the 
roof  and  tower  were  gone.  In  1869,  under  the  ministration  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  McCarthy,  a  retired  chaplain  of  the  United  States  Army,  who 
freely  and  generously  gave  his  services  for  two  years,  the  church 
was  finally  completed,  and  again  the  walls  that  had  passed  through 
so  many  vicissitudes  rang  with  the  songs  of  Zion.  The  church  has 
since  greatly  prospered  in  membership  and  good   deeds,  until  now  it 


158 

is   one   of    the    stronger    parishes    in    the    Diocese,    itself   a    mother   of 
churches  and  fruitful  of  good  works. 

During  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev.  John  J.  Gravatt,  who  came  to  the 
parish  fresh  from  the  Seminary  in  1876,  work  was  started  in  the 
neighboring  town  of  Newport  News,  which  has  developed  into  the 
noble  and  vigorous  church  of  St.  Paul's,  Warwick  Parish,  and  or  which 
the  Rev.  A.  O.  Sykes,  D.  D.,  is  the  present  rector.  Under  Mr.  Gravatt, 
also,  vigorous  work  was  prosecuted  in  Phoebus,  although  the  present 
beautiful  chapel  was  completed  under  the  rectorship  of  his  imme- 
diate successor.  The  parish  greatly  prospered  under  Mr.  Gravatt's. 
leadership;  the  church  was  renovated,  while  a  splendid  stained  glass 
window  was  erected  to  the  memory  of  Pocahontas,  who  worshipped, 
no  doubt,  in  the  old  church  at  Kecoughtan,  while  the  commodious 
parish  house  adjoining  the  church  lot  was  conceived  and  completed 
and  the  rectory  was  built.  Mr.  Gravatt  resigned  in  1893  to  become 
rector  of  Holy  Trinity  church,  Richmond,  Va.,  and  was  immediately 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  C.  Braxton  Bryan,  D.  D.,  who  look  up  the 
work  visjorously  and  intelligently,  and  continued  it  with  great  success 
until  1905,  when  he  resigned  to  become  rector  of  Grace  church,  Peters- 
burg. Mr.  Bryan  being  an  archgeologii't  of  tried  capacity  and  train- 
ing, became  at  once  interested  in  the  history  of  so  ancient  a  parish 
Among  other  important  ventures  in  .his  direction,  he  caused  to  be 
erected  a  window  in  the  church  to  the  memory  of  the  Colonial  clergy, 
at  a  place  near  where  the  pulpit  formerly  stood.  It  was  during  his 
incumbency  that  the  present  square  tov.^er  was  built  at  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  chancel,  without  injury  to  the  original  walls;  an  organ 
chamber  added,  in  which  was  placed  a  new  organ  and  a  vested  choir 
installed.  Special  work  among  the  negroes  of  the  town  was  begun 
by  Mr.  Gravatt  in  1889  and  renewed  by  Dr.  Bryan  in  1904,  and  ha? 
continued  with  such  success  ever  since  that  a  chapei  will  soon  be 
commenced  for  those  people's  use. 

In  190.5,  with  the  help  of  his  capable  assistant,  the  Rev.  George  F. 
Rogers,  Church  work  was  begun  in  East  Newport  News,  and  now. 
as  the  result  of  that  endeavor,  a  buildiui^  called  Grace  church  is  rapidly 
approaching  completion.  The  Rev.  Henry  J.  Geiger  is  now  the  worthy 
assistant  of  the  parish  in  special  charge  of  this  work  and  the  chapel 
in  Phoebus.  In  the  year  1877  a  very  successful  and  unique  work  was- 
started  among  the  Indians  at  the  Hampton  Normal  School  by  the 
Rev.  J.  J.  Gravatt.  and  faithfully  carried  on  by  the  successive  rectors 


159 

of  the  parish;  thus  reviving  in  these  late  days  the  original  design 
of  the  Colonists  of  instructing  the  natives  in  the  principles  of  the 
doctrine  of  Christ. 

Thus  has  the  parish  prospered  and  grown  under  the  blessing  of 
Providence.  It  has  passed  through  three  wars;  fire,  water  and 
rapine  have  fed  upon  it,  but  it  remains  to-day  in  the  renewal  of  its 
worth  a  strong  and  developing  force  for  God  and  righieousneas.  There 
is  in  keeping  of  this  parish  and  in  constant  use  a  Communion  service 
which  was  made  in  London  in  1618;  its  history  and  description  by 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Bryan  is  from  an  account  furnished  by  him  to  the 
Churchman,  as  follows,  namely: 

"THE    CHALICE   AND    PATEN. 

"They  have  been  in  longer  use  than  any  other  English  Church 
vessels  in  America.  They  were  given  by  Mrs.  Mary  Robinson,  of 
London,  to  a  church  endowed  by  her  in  Smith's  Hundred  in  Virginia, 
which  lay  in  the  part  between  the  Chickahominy  and  the  James,  and 
was  later  called  South  Hampton  Hundred.  This  church  was  endowed 
especially  with  the  hope  of  converting  the  Indians,  but  the  settlement 
was  almost  completely  destroyed  by  them  in  the  great  massacre  of 
1622,  when  these  vessels  were  carried  by  Governor  Yeardley  to  James- 
town, and  afterwards  given  to  the  parish  of  Elizabeth  City.  Here 
they  have  survived  many  changes  and  chances,  and  as  if  in  answer 
to  the  prayer  of  her  who  gave  them,  ttey  are  now  constantly  used  in 
the  administration  of  the  Holy  Communion  to  the  many  young  Indian 
communicants  who  attend  St.  John's  from  the  Hampton  Normal 
School." 

We  subjoin  a  list  of  Colonial  rectors  and  their  successors  from  1610 
to  the  present  time: 

William  Mease,  1610-1620;  George  Keith,  1617-1625;  Mr.  Cisse; 
Francis  Bolton,  1621-1623;  Mr.  Fenton,  1624;  Jonas  Stockton,  1627; 
William  Wilkenson,  1644;  Phillip  Mallory,  1661;  Justinian  Aylmer, 
1665-1667;  Jeremiah  Taylor,  1667;  William  Harris,  1675;  John  Page, 
1677-1687;  Cope  D'Oyle,  1687-1691;  James  Wallace,  1691-1712;  Andrew 
Thompson,  1712-1719;  James  Falconer,  1720-1724;  Thomas  Peader, 
1727;  William  Fyfe,  1731-1755;  Thomas  Warrington,  1756-1770;  Wil- 
liam Hubbard,  temporary  supply,  1770;  William  Selden,  1771-1783; 
William  Nixon,  1783;  William  Bland,  1786;  Henry  Skyrin,  1795;  John 
Jones    Spooner,    1796-1799;    Benjamin    Brown,    1806;    Robert    Seymour 


160 

Symnis,  1806;  George  Holson,  1810;  Mark  L.  Cheevers,  1827-1843; 
John    P.    Bausman,    1843-1845;    William    K.   Goode,    1845-1848;-  John   C. 

McCabe,    1850-1856;    Mr.    Harlow, ,    William    F.    M.    Jacobs,    1858- 

18<;i;  John  McCarthy,  1869-1871;  John  J.  Norwood,  1871-1872;  William 
Janett,  1873-1875;  J.  W.  Keeble,  1875-1876;  John  J.  Gravatt,  1876- 
1893;   C.  B.  Bryan,  1893-1905;   Reverdy  Estill,  July,  1905. 

Of  the  Colonial  clergy  it  is  but  fair  to  state  that  only  one  of  the 
whole  number  was  reported  for  evil  behavior,  and  I  take  it  that  this 
is  a  fair  sample  of  the  lives  of  all  such  clergy  in  the  Colonial  days. 
They  have  been,  as  a  class,  held  up  by  partial  historians  for  all  sorts 
of  crimes  and  misdemeanors,  but  such  charges  will  not  stand  for  a 
moment  before  the  light  of  modern  historical  criticism.  The  Colonial 
clergy  are  shown  to  be,  not  monsters  of  vice,  or  seekers  after  worldly 
pleasure;  they  were  with  rare  exceptions  gentlemen,  scholars,  leaders 
of  the  people  in  righteousness,  and  living  clean,  upright  lives  them- 
selves. The  slander  has  gone  too  long  unrebuked;  we  have  let  our 
enemies  write  our  histories,  and  we  have  calmly  submitted  to  their 
misleading  statements.  The  lives  of  cur  brethren  of  the  past  cry 
out  for  vindication.  Such  lists  as  this  in  part  furnish  that  vindica- 
tion. 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  oldest  free  school  in  the  country 
still  exists  in  this  parish,  without  a  break  in  its  history  since  the 
year  1634.  It  is  called  the  Symms-Eaton  Free  School,  in  memory 
of  Benjamin  Symms,  who  left  an  estate  for  its  founding  in  1634,  and 
Thomas  Eaton,  who  added  to  its  endowment  in  1634;  it  is  now  a 
part  of  the  public  school  system  of  the  country,  while  a  handsome 
building  bears  the  name  of  the  original  donors.  It  has  been  pointed 
out  that  the  Communion  service  is  the  oldest  in  this  country;  it 
must  also  be  said  that  the  parish  of  Elizabeth  City  is  the  most  ancient 
in  continuous  existence,  while  Hampton  itself  Is  the  oldest  English  set- 
tlement in  America,  and  has  earned  because  of  its  struggles  and  vicis- 
situdes the  soubriquet  "The  Gamecock  Town." 

The  following  list  of  known  vestrymen  who  served  the  parish  from 
1751  to  1855  will  doubtless  be  of  interest  to  a  large  number  of  their  de- 
scendants. The  records  of  those  who  served  before  have  been  long 
since  irrevocably  lost: 

From  1751  to  1771 — Colonial  Period.— Merritt  Sweeny,  Robert  Armis- 
tead,  John  Allen,  Anthony  Tucker,  Baldwin  Shepherd,  Tliomas  Latimer, 
John   Westwood   Armistead,   John  Moore.  Jacob  Walker,   William   Par- 


161 

sons,  William  Wager,  John  Tabb,  Jr.,  James  Wallace,  William  Latimer, 
Charles  Ward,  Booth  Armistead,  George  Wray,  Henry  King,  Wilson 
Miles  Gary,  William  Mallory,  Joseph  Seldon,  Miles  King,  Gary  Seklon. 

From  May,  1771  to  1784 — Revolutionary  Period. — Robert  Armistead, 
William  Wager,  Henry  King,  Joseph  Seldon,  James  Wallace,  Miles 
King,  John  Tabb,  Gary  Selden,  William  Armistead,  William  Latimer, 
William  Mallory,  Wilson  Miles  Gary,  Worlich  Westwood,  Francis  Mal- 
lory, George  Latimer,  W.  W.  Curie,  John  Wray,  William  Armistead 
Bagley,  Robert  Bright. 

From  November  27,  1806,  to  1810. — ^Charles  Jennings,  Robert  Armis- 
tead, John  Cooper,  James  Latimer,  Thomas  Watts,  Samuel  Watts,  Miles 
Gary,  Thomas  Jones,  Jr.,  John  Shepard,  Thomas  B.  Armistead,  William 
Lowry,  Benjamin  Phillips,  William  Armistead,  Thomas  Latimer,  Jr., 
Robert  Lively,  John  Carey. 

From  August  19,  1826,  to  1855.— Robert  Lively,  Samuel  Watts, 
Thomas  Latimer,  Dr.  William  Hope,  John  W.  Jones,  William  Jennings, 
Giles  A.  Gary,  Thomas  Hope,  John  Herbert,  Dr.  Richard  G.  Banks,  John 
F.  Wray,  Richard  B.  Servant. 


VAUTER'S  CHURCH,  ST.  ANNE'S  PARISH, 
ESSEX  COUNTY,  VA. 

BY   P.    S.    IirXTER,   T.ORETTA,    VA. 

F  all  the  magnificent  river  views  in  Tidewater  Virginia  few 
excel  that  from  the  summit  of  Chimborazo  hill,  in  upper  Essex 
county.  Commanding  on  one  side  long  stretches  of  the  beau- 
tiful Rappahannock,  flowing  through  its  fertile  plains,  it  dis- 
plays, on  the  other,  thickly-wooded  uplands  in  ascending  terraces  of 
richly  blended  verdure.  But  the  most  prominent  object  in  the  fore- 
ground is  old  Vauter's  church,  standing  in  its  ancient  grove  of  oak 
and  walnut.  It  is  approached  by  the  "Church  Lane,"  considerably 
elevated  above  the  fields  on  either  side,  from  the  accumulation  of  soil 
washing  down  from  the  hills,  and  is  bordered  by  dense  hedges  of  growth 
so  characteristic  of  the  country,  and  in  spring  so -exquisitely  fragrant 
with  the  bloom  of  the  wild  grape  and  the  eglantine. 

The  church  is  a  brick  building  of  cruciform  shape,  with  its  three 
high,  sharp  gables  supporting  a  shingle  roof,  cut  close  to  the  edges  of 
the  wall.  Its  high  and  narrow  windows  are  guarded  by  heavy  solid 
wooden  shutters,  and  there  are  two  entrances  to  the  church  by  double 
doors,  in  the  south  and  the  west  ends.  The  present  chancel,  raised 
one  step  from  the  stone-paved  aisles,  is  furnished  now  with  two  modern 
stands  or  lecterns  for  the  service  and  sermon,  but  back  against  the 
wall  there  still  stands  the  old  reading  desk  and  pulpit  above  it.  The 
latter  is  reached  by  a  stairway  from  the  chancel  floor,  and  this  stair- 
way is  guarded  by  a  hand-rail.  Both  pulpit  and  reading  desk  are 
draped  in  crimson  hangings.  The  pews  are  the  same  old  box  stalls, 
with  benches  of  uncompromising  rigidity,  and  furnished  with  clanging 
doors,  which  announce  the  retirement  of  the  occupants;  but  they  have 
been  cut  down  to  nearly  half  of  their  former  height.  A  vestibule 
partition  crosses  the  western  end  of  the  church,  forming  a  vestry- 
room,  and  supporting  a  gallery  reached  by  steps  in  the  vestibule. 
Another  gallery  over  the  southern  door  is  the  organ  loft.  Formerly 
the  chancel  and  pulpit  stood  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  church,  and  pews 
and  pulpit  were  so  high  that  both  minister  and  congregation  could 
enjoy  deep  seclusion. 

Bishop  Meade  tells  us  in  his  book— Old  Churches  and  Families  of 
Virginia— that  when  visiting  these  old  Colonial  churches  he  frequently 


163 

had  to  hasten  his  arrival,  to  erect  temporary  platforms  of  bricks  or 
stones  in  the  pulpits,  to  enable  him  to  see  the  congregation;  but  the 
sermons  of  those  days  were  so  long  and  closely  written  that  the 
minister  had  to  be  more  engaged  in  the  scrutiny  of  the  manuscript 
than  in  the  observation  of  the  audience.  In  fact,  from  the  shape  of 
the  church,  the  pulpit  could  be  only  visible  from  some  points  of  the 
building.  To  complete  the  description  of  this  venerable  building,  there 
is  only  to  be  added  that  its  walls  are  covered  by  the  most  luxuriant 
mantle  of  English  ivy,  which  is  with  difl&culty  restrained  from  in- 
vading and  decaying  the  wooden  roof. 

The  early  history  of  St.  Anne's  parish  and  its  two  churches  is  veiled 
in  much  obscurity,  and  rests  more  upon  dim  tradition  than  actual 
fact  Rappahannock  county,  formed  from  Lancaster  county,  about 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  contained  Littlebourne  parish. 
Littlebourne  parish,  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  Rappahannock  river, 
was  divided  into  North  Farnham  parish,  in  Richmond  county;  South 
Farnham  parish,  in  lower  Essex,  and  St.  Anne's  parish,  in  upper  Essex; 
as  both  Richmond  and  Essex  counties  were  formed  from  Rappahan- 
nock county. 

St.  Anne's  parish  contained  two  churches.  One  of  these  churches, 
now  destroyed  and  even  its  name  lost,  but  of  which  the  foundation 
is  visible,  stood  near  the  present  St.  Matthew's  church,  about  a  mile 
above  it,  on  the  road  leading  to  Lloyd's.  When  St.  Matthew's  church 
was  begun  in  1860,  its  location  was  selected  by  its  members,  and  spe- 
cially recommended  by  Colonel  Wm.  Beverley,  of  Blandfield,  because 
of  its  neighborhood  to  the  old  church  which  had  been  the  regular  place 
of  worship  of  the  Blandfield  family  and  other  Episcopal  families  in 
that  vicinity.  This  old  church  fell  into  the  possession  of  an  owner 
named  Sale,  from  which  fact  it  was  known  as  "Sale's  Church."  Legend 
tells  us  that  its  material  was  taken  away,  and  applied  to  such  prac- 
tical uses  that  its  chancel  rail  was  made  into  a  chicken  coop.  About 
two  miles  from  this  old  church,  and  on  a  branch  of  Occupacia  creek, 
stood  the  rectory,  called  "The  Glebe,"  later  sold  to  the  Rowzie  family, 
and  was  known  as  Clover  Field.  An  old  colored  man  named  Frederic 
Robb,  and  owned  by  the  Rowzie  family,  delighted  in  narrating  his 
reminiscences  of  this  old  church,  and  the  assembling  of  its  congrega- 
tion, conspicuous  in  that  day  by  the  rare  possession  of  coaches,  and 
by  the  English  style  of  costume — knee  breeches  and  boots  worn  by  the 
gentlemen. 


164 

About  eight  miles  farther  up  in  the  county  of  Essex,  and  situated 
upon  or  near  Blackburn's  creek,  stands  Vauter's  church,'  and  Mr. 
Richard  Baylor,  of  Kinloch,  writes  the  following  interesting  sketch 
for  Bishop  Meade's  above-mentioned  work: 

"The  first  thing  that  I  recollect  as  connected  with  the  old  sanc- 
tuary is  that  my  father  used  to  keep  the  old  English  Bible  at  Marl 
Bank,  and  when  the  casual  services  of  a  passing  Episcopal  minister 
were  to  be  held  there  a  servant  took  the  old  Bible  on  his  head  and 
accompanied  the  family  by  a  near  walking  way  across  the  same  Black- 
burn's creek,  and  after  service  brought  it  back.  I  still  have  the  old 
Bible  at  Kinloch,  valued  for  its  antiquity,  and  on  its  blank  leaves  are 
numerous  references  in  my  father's  handwriting.  I  remember  when 
the  church  doors  always  stood  wide  open,  if  indeed  they  could  be 
closed,  and  have  taken  refuge  myself  from  a  storm  in  the  body  of 
the  church,  leading  my  horse  in  with  me." 

Mr.  Baylor  relates  the  occurrence  of  a  duel  between  two  gentlemen 
before  the  south  door  of  the  church,  of  which  he  aays  he  was  informed 
by  Mr.  R.  B.  Starke,  of  Norfolk,  who  attended  as  surgeon.  Mr.  Baylor 
continues: 

"We  are  indebted  to  the  firm  friendship  of  a  lady  that  Vauter's 
church  did  not  share  the  same  fate  of  other  sanctuaries,  as,  for  in- 
stance, the  church  at  Leedstown,  just  across  the  river.  So  soon  as 
Mrs.  Muscoe  Garnett  heard  that  persons  had  commenced  carrying  away 
the  paving  stones  of  the  aisles,  and  perhaps  some  of  the  bricks,  she 
claimed  the  church  as  her  own,  and  threatened  prosecution  to  the 
next  offender.  The  ground  on  which  she  placed  her  claim  was  that 
the  church  stood  on  her  land,  or  that  oi  her  family." 

Mr.  James  Garnett,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Muscoe  Garnett's  husband, 
did  purchase  lands  adjacent  to  the  church  from  the  Vauter  family 
before  the  middle  of  the  18th  century,  but  we  must  ascend  the  stream 
of  time  higher  than  this,  to  trace  the  origin  of  Vauter's  church.  The 
date,  1731,  is  marked  on  a  brick  in  the  southern  wall  of  the  church, 
and  this  has  led  to  a  popular  belief  that  the  church  was  built  in 
1731;  but  this  date  may  have  been  that  of  some  alteration  or  repair. 
At  any  rate,  the  following  facts  seem  to  contradict  the  idea  that  the 
church  was  built  in  1731:  It  has  been  the  legend  for  years  that 
Vauter's  church  was  endowed  with  a  communion  service  by  Queen 
Anne  of  England,  and  the  old  cup  of  the  church  service  was  lost. 
A  few  years  ago  a  gentleman  in  New  Jersey  was  shown  a  communion 


165 

cup  in  the  collection  of  a  friend,  and  marked  "St.  Anne's  Parish, 
Essex  County,  Virginia."  The  new  owner  had  purchased  it  in  a  New 
York  shop  to  add  to  his  collection  as  an  antiquary.  Now,  no  doubt, 
this  was  the  missing  cup  presented  to  St.  Anne's  parish  by  the  Queen, 
and  as  she  died  in  1714,  the  presentation  must  have  been  prior  to 
1731,  when  the  church  was  supposed  to  have  been  built.  This  fact 
alone,  however,  may  not  be  conclusive,  because  of  the  possibility  that 
there  was  an  earlier  church  in  this  parish;  but  in  an  old  land  survey, 
made  by  John  Vauter  for  Buckingham  Brown,  who  owned  land  on 
Blackburn's  creek  close  to  Vauter's  church,  there  is  a  "road  leading 
to  the  church"  on  the  plot,  and  this  plot  is  dated  1722;  and  in  another 
survey,  made  for  John  Hawkins  (who  also  owned  land  on  this  same 
creek),  by  John  Vauter,  surveyor,  there  is  shown  as  a  boundary  the 
"church  land,"  and  this  plot  is  dated  1719.  Blackburn's  creek  (for- 
meily  Lucas'  creek),  is  the  starting  point  in  tracing  many  contiguous 
properties  at  the  date  of  the  earliest  mention  of  Vauter's  church;  and 
as  we  find  Vauters  taking  up  "King's  lands"  on  this  creek  close  to 
Vauter's  church,  very  early  in  the  18th  century,  it  seems  probable 
that  the  church  was  built  upon  "King's  land,"  by  order  of  vestry 
empowered  by  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  took  the  name  of  "Vau- 
ter's" from  propinquity  to  lands  occupied  by  Vauters.  However  this 
conjecture  may  be,  it  seems  certain  that  Vauter's  church  was  standing 
In  1719,  and  possibly  considerably  earlier.  Church  and  glebe  lands  in 
existence  at  that  remote  date  are  difficult  to  trace,  as  the  vestries  of 
the  parishes  seem  to  have  been  empowered  to  buy  or  sell  property  and 
to  levy  taxes  for  the  maintenance  of  the  church,  often  getting  into 
difficulties  with  the  Governor  of  the  Colony,  and  administering  their 
prerogative  with  great  irregularity  and  little  record  of  their  proceed- 
ings. The  combination  of  ecclesiastical  and  secular  affairs  was  indeed 
so  remarkable  that  in  an  old  deed  conveying  land  from  Gaines  to 
Garnett  in  1766,  there  is  the  statement  that  it  was  "published  in  the 
Parish  Church  of  St.  Anne's." 

Bishop  Meade,  in  speaking  of  the  earliest  Church  conventions  after 
the  Revolution,  says:  "In  1814  Thomas  Matthews  and  Hon.  James 
Hunter  were  delegates  from  St.  Anne's  Parish;  in  1817  Hon.  James 
M.  Garnett;  in  1820  Mr.  Robert  Beverley;"  making  this  statement  in 
connection  with  his  narrative  of  the  complete  disorganization  of  the 
church  for  years  previously,  and  its  faint  revival  about  the  date  of 
these  conventions.     While  there  is  a  notice  of  the  first  vestry  in  Rap- 


166 

pahannock  Parish  under  a  minister  named  Francis  Doughty,  we  do 
not  hear  of  any  minister  of  St.  Anne's  Parish  before  Rev.  John  Bagge' 
in  1724.  He  seems  to  have  died  soon  after  he  toolv  charge  of  the 
parish,  and  to  have  been  succeeded  by  the  very  remarkable  Rev. 
Robert  Rose.  Mr.  Rose  appears  to  have  enjoyed  the  great  confidence 
of  his  people,  both  as  a  minister  and  a  business  man,  and  to  have 
been  a  universal  counsellor  to  his  friends  scattered  over  the  wide 
territory  of  his  ministry,  reaching  to  Nelson  county.  He  died  while 
attending  the  laying  out  of  Richmond  city,  in  1751,  and  was  buried 
there.  Mr.  Smelt  succeeded  Mr.  Rose.  In  1774-76  "Parson  John 
Matthews"  was  minister  of  St.  Anne's.  Then,  after  a  long  interval. 
Rev.  John  Rennolds  was  minister  in  1822,  succeeded  in  1825  by  Rev. 
John  P.  McGuire,  after  whom  were  the  following  successors:  Rev. 
Edward  B.  McGuire,  1852  to  1867;  Dr.  Charles  Goodrich,  in  1869;  Rev. 
Alexander  Overby,  1873  to  1880;  Rev.  W.  S.  Campbell,  1881  to  1884; 
Rev.  J.  C.  Koon,  1885  to  1888;  Rev.  D.  T.  C.  Davis,  1890  to  1899;  Rev. 
E.  W.  Cowling,  1900  to  1902;  Rev.  J.  F.  Burks,  1902. 

The  early  history  of  St.  Anne's  Parish,  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
of  Vauter's  church,  is  strikingly  illustrative  of  the  transitoriness  of 
human  affairs.  Even  the  names  of  families,  which  for  generations 
were  prominent  land  owners  and  influential  citizens,  have  completely 
disappeared.  Cornhill,  Lucas,  Gaines,  Hawkins,  Brookings,  Shipp, 
Meadows,  Vauter  and  many  others  have  left  no  trace,  except  in  tat- 
tered deeds  or  records  of  land  transfers,  dating  nearly  or  quite  two 
centuries  in  the  past.  And  yet  it  is  still  remarkable  that  for  at  least 
one  century  this  old  church  has  been  supported  by  the  same  small 
band  of  hereditary  members:  Saunders,  Dishmans,  Pilkingtons,  Bay- 
lors, Warings,  Sales,  Rowzies,  Bairds,  Beverleys  and  Hunters  and 
Garnetts.  Nearly  all  of  these  families  furnish  the  same  congregation 
for  the  two  churches  of  St.  Anne's  parish,  Vauter'o  and  St.  Matthew's. 


AQUIA  CHURCH,  OVERWHARTON  PARISH, 
STAFFORD  COUNTY,  VA. 

BY   THE  REV.   JOHN    MOXCUUE,   D.   D. 

TAFFORD  is  the  northernmost  county  of  the  "Northern  Neck," 

or  that  portion  of  Virginia   lying  between  the  Rappanannock 

and  Potomac  rivers.     It  is  a  part  of  the  very  early  settled  land 

in  the  new  world,  its  organization  being  fifty-seven  years  after 

the  settlement  at  Jamestown. 

Were  all  of  its  records  at  hand,  they  would  doubtless  prove  of  in- 
terest to  the  lover  of  American  history,  second  only  to  those  which 
relate  to  days  when  Englishmen  realized  for  the  first  time  that  there 
was,  indeed,  a  home  for  them  beyond  the  seas. 

The  county  organization  dates  back  at  least  as  far  as  1664.  It  was 
originally  a  part  of  Westmoreland,  and  extended  up  the  Potomac  river 
as  far  as  what  is  now  Georgetown,  or  West  Washington,  and  to  the 
west  as  far  as  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  including  some  of  the  most 
fertile  sections  of  the  State.  The  counties  of  Prince  William,  Fairfax, 
Fauquier  and  Loudoun  were  thus  within  its  bounds.  What  afterwards 
became  the  homes  of  Washington,  Mason,  Fairfax  and  others  were 
part  of  Stafford. 

The  first  grants  of  land  in  Stafford,  which  were  near  the  Rappa- 
hannock River,  at  Fredericksburg,  were  awarded  to  Messrs.  Gerald 
Fowke,  Richard  Heaberd  and  Robert  Alexander,  on  March  23d,  1664. 
From  the  records  in  the  Land  Office  at  Richmond  it  would  appear 
that  this  section  of  country  was  rapidly  settled. 

From  1664  to  1680  the  following  names  appear  among  the  land- 
owners in  the  county:  Meese,  Calclough,  Wather,  Beach,  Hatloft, 
Morris,  Boris,  Hunston,  Howison,  Gaylard.  Anderson,  Palmer,  Waller, 
Collingwood,  Briggs,  Bailey,  Travers,  Buchner,  Hall,  Walker,  Watson, 
Berry,  Normansell. 

As  Virginia  is  the  mother  of  States  and  statesmen,  Stafford  is  a 
mother  of  counties  and  distinguished  men  in  Church  and  State.  In 
its  original  dimensions,  it  did  not  touch  the  Rappahannock  River.  In 
June,  1666,  the  county,  according  to  old  records,  was  represented  in 
the  House  of  Burgesses  by  Colonel  Henry  Meese.     His  salary  was  a 


168 

cask  of  tobacco  a  day,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  for  traveling 
expenses,  and  if  traveling  by  water,  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds, 
at  the  rate  of  four  days  each  way  for  his  attendance  as  a  member  of 
the  Assembly. 

As  to  the  history  of  the  first  settlers,  nothing  can  be  stated  with 
definiteness.  Some  of  these  may  have  come  immediately  from  England 
or  Scotland,  and  from  names  of  citizens,  about  twenty  years  later,  it 
would  appear  that  many  were  from  the  last-named  country  originally. 
The  tide  of  emigration  had  then  set  in  steadily  towards  the  New  World. 
Others  of  the  early  inhabitants  may  have  come  from  Lancaster,  West- 
moreland, Northumberland,  and  lower  counties,  nearer  the  coast,  which 
was  naturally  the  first  settled  land.  Among  the  people  prominent  in 
the  history  of  the  county  was  Mr.  George  Brent,  who  came  to  Stafford 
from  Maryland  in  1683.  He  acquired  large  estates,  called  Woodstock 
and  Brenton.  The  first  of  these  still  exists  in  the  original  name.  It 
is  at  the  head  of  Aquia  Creek.  There  was  considerable  contention  for 
this  property  by  the  Maryland  authorities,  the  little  colony  then  being 
governed  by  Lord  Baltimore.  It  was  claimed  that  his  possessions  ex- 
tended into  what  is  now  Virginia,  up  Aquia  Creek,  taking  in  the  land 
aforesaid.  The  claim  was  not  allowed.  Mr.  Brent  was  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic, and  although  the  prejudice  against  that  religion  was  great,  his 
worth  was  acknowledged,  for  on  May  2,  1683,  he  was  appointed  by 
the  Governor  and  Council  Receiver-General  north  of  the  Rappahannock 
River,  and  on  July  10,  1690,  he  was  made  Ranger-General  of  the 
Northern  Neck.  The  prejudice  to  his  religion,  however,  was  shown 
in  1693,  when  George  Brent  and  his  brother,  Robert,  were  inhibited 
from  practicing  law,  in  view  of  their  being  Papists,  the  light  of 
religious  liberty  not  having  then  shone  upon  the  land,  or  what  may 
have  been  possible,  the  intolerance  of  dogma,  on  the  part  of  those 
who  were  thus  punished,  having  made  itself  felt  in  secular  affairs; 
both  conditions  being  alike  lamentable.  These  conditions  evidently 
changed,  even  in  that  age,  and  the  spirit  of  love  became  assertive; 
for  one  of  these  gentlemen  afterwards  was  associated  in  practice  with 
Mr.  William  Fitzhugh,  and  another  was  joint  sponsor  with  the  first 
George  Mason  at  the  baptism  of  an  Indian  boy,  whom  they  had  taken 
prisoner. 

George  Brent  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  being  a  daughter 
of  Colonel  Henry  Seawell.  of  Maryland,  whose  widow  married  Lord 
Baltimore.     Her  tomb   is   still   to  be   seen   in   Aquia  graveyard,  about 


169 

one  mile  from  Woodstock.  It  bears  this  inscription:  "She  was  the 
daughter  of  Lady  Baltimore,  by  Henry  Seawall,  Esq.,  Secretary  of 
Maryland;   her  age  35  years." 

Another  interesting  item  of  history  is  the  settlement  of  Huguenots 
in  Stafford  in  1700.  There  is  on  record  a  paper,  entitled  "French 
Men's  Petition  from  Ettiene  Reinbau,  Jean  Borchbleau,  Jean  Cabelle, 
Lewis  Direaubaum,  Charles  Peraut,  Marie  Reinmonde,  Pere  Rousoau, 
Isaac  Lafite,  Abraham  Michau,  Piere  Batie,  Anderic  Lebornie  and 
John  Calvert,  stating  that  they  have  come  to  Stafford  as  strangers, 
reduced  to  extremity  and  poverty,  and  praying  to  be  exempted  from 
county  levies  for  what  time  the  court  shall  think  fit."  This  record 
's  dated  March,  1700.  These  people,  it  is  thought,  afterwards  left  the 
country,  and  some  joined  the  French  colony  at  Mannakin  Settlement, 
in  Henrico,  now  Powhatan  county. 

In  the  early  county  organization  there  are  recorded,  in  1680,  such 
names  as  George  Mason,  Matthew  Thompson,  John  Alexander.  Philip 
Buckner,  Rice  Hooe,  Richard  Fossaker,  John  Washington,  Robert  Col- 
ston, James  Sumner,  John  Waugh,  Thomas  Gregg  and  Thomas  Owsley 
among  the  officers;  and  some  years  later,  in  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  are  rienry  Fitzhugh,  Thomas  Lunn,  John  "Waugh, 
James  Jameson,  Rawleigh  Travers,  and  others,  whose  descendants  are 
numerous  at  the  present  day,  many  having  the  same  names. 

Stafford  Courthouse  was  first  situated  at  Marlboro,  on  the  Potomac. 
The  present  building,  about  seven  miles  west  of  that  site,  was  erected 
in  1783,  two  acres  of  land  having  been  deeded  to  the  county  for  court- 
house and  prison  by  William  Gerrard  and  William  Fitzhugh. 

Many  of  the  places  whose  names  link  the  past  with  the  present  still 
exist.  Among  these  are  Arkendale,  Chappawamsic,  Clermont,  Somerset, 
Chelsea,  Clifton,  Dipple  and  Woodstock,  in  the  upper  end,  and  Boscobel, 
Argyle,  Chatham  and  Snowden,  in  the  lower  end  of  the  county.  The 
old  homes  on  some  of  these  estates  have  passed  away. 

The  history  of  the  Church  is  naturally  closely  interwoven  with  that 
of  the  county  organization.  Some  of  the  very  early  records  of  the 
county,  which  were  taken  away  during  the  Civil  War,  were  found  in 
the  New  York  State  Library,  and  restored  to  their  rightful  place  within 
late  years.  From  these  the  following,  interesting  facts  have  been 
obtained: 

"September  7,  1664.     Wm.  Green,  and  Vincent  Young,  sworn  wardens 


170 

of  Potomac  Parish."  This  was  evidently  the  first  Stafford  Parish, 
its   boundaries  being  the  same  as  those  of  the  county. 

"November  19,  16C5.     Mr.  Hugh  Dowding  sworn  Church  Warden." 

"November  28,  1666.  Vestry  chosen  as  follows:  Captain  Jno.  Alex- 
ander, Mr.  Richard  Fossaker,  Mr.  Richard  Heabeard,  Mr.  Robert  Os- 
borne, Mr.  John  Heabeard,  Mr.  Wm.  Heabeard,  Mr.  Robert  Howson, 
Mr.  Vincent  Young,  Wm.  Green,  Jno.  Withers,  Thos.  Humphrey,  and 
Thos.  Gregg.  Mr.  Robert  Osborne  and  Mr.  John  Withers  Church 
W'ardens." 

"April  3d,  1667.  The  Court  doth  order  that  the  minister  preach 
at  three  particular  places  in  this  county — viz.:  At  the  southeast  side 
of  Aquia  and  at  the  Court  House,  and  Chotanck,  at  a  house  belonging 
to  Robert  Townshend;  to  officiate  every  Sabbath  Day  in  one  of  these 
places,  successively,  until  further  Order." 

"June  12th,  1667.  Vestry  as  follows;  Dodman,  Meese,  Mason,  Alex- 
ander, Rd.  Heabeard,  Mr.  W^m.  Townshend,  Wm.  Heabeard,  Mr.  Wm. 
Greene,  John  Wiser,  Vincent  Young  and  David  Anderson." 

"Oct.  8,  1667.  Whereas,  There  is  no  certain  place  in  the  upper  pre- 
cincts of  this  county  for  the  reading  of  Divine  Service,  the  Court 
doth  order  that  John  Withers,  Church  Warden  for  these  precincts, 
agree  for  a  house  to  read  at  the  most  convenient  place." 

It  will  be  noted  that  no  minister  is  named  in  connection  with  these 
proceedings,  but  there  possibly  may  have  been  one  or  more. 

The  evidences  point  to  a  God-fearing  people,  however,  whose  strength 
of  purpose  in  the  trying  days  of  early  settlement  was  shown  in  their 
determination  to  worship  and  serve  the  God  of  their  fathers.  The 
proud  heritage  of  such  righteous  example  has  been  cherished  by  thel) 
descendants,  and  assisted  in  the  honorable  citizenship  of  succeeding 
generations. 

If  there  were  any  church  buildings  they  were  probably  of  wood,  the 
traces  of  which  have  long  since  been  lost. 

The  first  minister  of  whom  there  is  record  was  the  Rev.  John 
W^augh.  It  is  not  improbable  that  he  was  the  original  rector  of 
Stafford  county,  though  he  is  first  brought  to  notice  in  1680. 

There  were  then  two  parishes  in  the  county — Stafford  and  Chotanck. 
Mr.  Waugh  seems  to  have  been  a  man  of  great  strength  of  character, 
as  well  as  of  personal  influence  with  his  people.  It  is  noted  that  on 
March  11,  1692,  there  being  difficulty  in  getting  some  to  take  charge 
of  the  ferry  over  Potomac  Creek,  he  contracted  to  do  it  himself.     He 


171 

is  said  also  to  have  been  wise  in  temporal  affairs,  having  patented 
and  purchased  considerable  land,  and  he  died,  leaving  a  large  estate. 
His  descendants  were  prominent  in  county  affairs  in  the  early  days, 
but  the  name  has  passed  from  the  county,  other  sections  having 
doubtless  claimed  those  hearing  it. 

During  his  rectorship  there  was  much  fear  of  the  aggression  and 
domination  of  Romanism,  James  II.  being  upon  the  English  throne, 
and  his  views  being  pronounced  in  favor  of  breaking  down  the  prin- 
ciples of  Protestantism.  It  is  said  that  Mr.  Waugh  was  very  energetic 
in  keeping  this  danger  before  the  people,  and  great  excitement  was 
created,  and  from  his  addresses  and  methods  of  agitation  employed 
by  others,  a  very  serious  state  of  affairs  was  threatened.  Mr.  Nicholas 
Spencer,  of  Cople,  Westmoreland,  then  Secretary  of  State  in  Virginia, 
stated  that  a  rebellion  as  great  as  that  led  by  Bacon  was  imminent. 
Happily,  all  of  this  was  adjusted.  William  and  Mary  replacing  James, 
peace  and   Protestantism   reigned  once   more. 

In  the  year  1700,  we  find  again  two  parishes  in  the  county — Over- 
wharton  and  St.  Paul's;  the  former,  like  the  county,  taking  its  name 
from  the  corresponding  place  in  England.  The  Rev.  John  Frazier 
was  the  rector  of  Overwharton. 

The  population  of  the  county  can  be  estimated  from  the  fact  that 
in  the  first-named  parish  there  were  318  titheables,  and  in  the  latter 
346.     These  represented   about  one-fourth  of   the   population. 

In  1710  the  same  two  parishes  appear,  with  the  Rev.  Alexander 
Scott  as  rector  of  St.  Paul's.  It  would  appear  that  these  parishes 
were  generally  served  by  one  rector,  the  scarcity  of  clergy  in  Vir- 
ginia being  one  of  the  regrettable  conditions.  This  was  evidently  so 
in  the  early  history  of  the  Church,  until  the  latter  part  of  the  18th 
century. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Scott  was  rector  nearly  twenty-eight  years,  and  died 
April  1,  1738,  aged  52  years.  He  must  have  been  a  useful  man  in  the 
Church,  there  being  many  evidences  of  his  earnestness.  During  his 
rectorship  the  old  Potomac  church,  situated  near  the  creek  of  that 
name,  was  probably  the  parish  church.  Bishop  Meade  speaks  of  it  as 
"one  of  the  largest  in  Virginia."  This  venerable  building,  after  dese- 
cration by  the  soldiers  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  by  others  who  had 
lost  the  sense  of  veneration,  crumbled  into  ruins,  and  even  these  have 
been  obliterated.  This  church  was  situated  six  or  seven  miles  from 
Old  Aquia. 


172 

From  the  report  of  Mr.  Scott  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  noted  by 
Bishop  Meade,  it  appears  that  in  the  parish  there  were  ''six  hundred 
and  fifty  families,  eighty  to  one  hundred  communicants  in  attendance, 
one  church  and  several  chapels;  his  glebe  was  so  inconvenient  that 
he  rented  it  out  and  bought  one  more  convenient  for  himself.  His 
church  and  chapels  as  full  as  they  coulj  hold." 

Mr.  Scott  is  buried  at  Dipple,  his  seat  on  the  Potomac.  The  tomb 
is  still  to  be  seen,  together  with  a  number  of  others,  representing 
some  of  the  first  families  of  long  ago.  It  is  a  slab  resting  on  four 
pillars.  The  epitaph,  surmounted  by  the  Scott  arms,  is  as  follows: 
"Here  lies  the  body  of  the  Rev.  Alexander  Scott,  A.  M.,  and  Presbyter 
of  the  Church  of  England,  who  lived  nearly  twenty-eight  years.  Min- 
ister of  Overwharton  Parish,  and  died  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age, 
lie  being  born  the  20th  day  of  July,  A.  D.,  1686.  and  departed  this 
life  the  1st  day  of  April,  1738."  Upon  the  coat  of  arms  is  inscribed 
these  words: 

"Gaudia  Nuncio  Magna."- 

A  beautiful  memorial  of  Mr.  Scott  is  the  Communion  service  which 
is  in  the  possession  of  Old  Aquia  church,  and  in  regular  use. 

It  consists  of  three  pieces — chalice,  cup  and  paten  of  beaten  silver, 
and  very  massive.  Each  piece  contains  this  inscription:  "The  gift  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  Scott,  A.  M.,  late  minister  of  this  Parish 
Anno  1739."  The  service  was  eviden«^ly  purchased  with  money  be- 
queathed for  the  purpose,  as  the  date  is  the  year  after  Mr.  Scott's 
death.  It  has  passed  through  some  of  the  country's  most  trying 
days,  and  was  buried  in  the  earth  for  safety  during  the  three  great 
wars — of  the  Revolution,  of  1812,  and  that  between  the  States.  It 
was  during  Mr.  Scott's  rectorship  (in  1730)  that  some  very  important 
changes  were  made  in  county  and  parish  lines.  The  county  of  Prince 
William  was  formed  from  the  heads  of  King  George  and  Stafford; 
and  Hamilton  Parish  was  organized  in  the  new  county. 

Mr.  Scott  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  .John  Moncure.  He  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  but  a  descendant  of  the  Huguenots,  who  fled  from  France 
on  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes.  Mr.  Moncure  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Northumberland  county,  Virginia,  where  after 
two  years'  private  study,  he  went  to  England  for  holy  orders,  which 
he  received  at  the  hands  of  the  Bishop  of  London.  Returning  to 
the  New  World,  he  became  curate  to  Mr.  Scott,  and  on  the  death  of 
the  latter,  his  successor,  as  stated. 


173 

He  was  rector  of  the  parish  for  twenty-six  years.  Like  his  prede- 
cessor, he  was  a  man  to  whose  influence  the  growth  of  the  early 
Church  owes  much. 

Mr.  Moncure  married  Frances,  the  daughter  of  Doctor  Gustavus 
Brown,  of  Charles  county,  Maryland,  and  her  sister  was  the  wife  of 
the  Rev.  James  Scott,  rector  of  the  neighboring  parish  of  Dettingen, 
in  Prince  William.  He  evidently  resided  at  the  Glebe,  near  Old  Po- 
tomac church,  but  in  the  later  years  of  his  ministry,  having  by  good 
management  accumulated  money,  he  purchased  an  estate  in  the  north- 
ern section  of  the  county,  where  he  made  his  home.  This  place  is 
called  "Clermont."  The  house  is  still  standing,  and  is  in  excellent 
preservation,  being  the  true  type  of  the  old-time  English  home. 

One  daughter  of  Mr.  Moncure  was  the  wife  of  Governor  Wood,  of 
Virginia.  In  a  letter  to  a  friend,  she  speaks  of  the  location  as  "the 
most  beautiful  eminence  I  have  ever  beheld."  It  overlooks  the  Potomac 
River  on  one  side  and  Chappawamsic  Creek  on  the  other.  Mr.  Moncure 
had  a  large  family,  and  among  his  descendants  are  the  Daniels,  Con- 
ways,  Robinsons,  and  many  other  families  in  Virginia  and  elsewhere. 

This  letter  of  Mrs.  Wood  and  another  from  George  Mason,  of 
Gunston,  author  of  the  Bill  of  Rights,  a  warm  friend  of  Mr.  Moncure 
and  kinsman  of  his  wife,  which  was  written  to  Mrs.  Moncure  just 
after  her  husband's  death,  pays  beautiful  tributes  to  him  as  a  man 
and  Christian. 

Part  of  the  parish  register  during  Mr.  Moncure's  rectorship  has  been 
preserved.  It  contains  over  twenty-five  hundred  names,  many,  if  not 
the  greater  number,  of  them  being  unknown  in  the  county  to-day. 
This  book  was  kept  for  many  years  by  the  Hon.  R.  C.  L.  Moncure,  of 
the  Virginia  Court  of  Appeals,  and  great-grandson  of  Mr.  Moncure, 
and  is  now  in  Stafford,  and  in  good  preservation. 

During  Mr.  Moncure's  rectorship  Aquia  church  was  built.  A  build- 
ing was  erected  in  1751,  which  was  soon  after  destroyed  by  fire.  On 
its  site  the  present  church  stands,  having  been  built  in  1757.  It 
occupies  a  commanding  eminence  near  the  public  road  from  Fred- 
ericksburg, and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  Virginia's  Colonial 
churches.  Like  many  of  them,  it  is  cruciform  and  of  brick.  Unlike 
most  of  them,  it  has  a  bell  and  clock-tower,  the  hands  of  the  latter 
having  been  in  existence  until  the  last  few  years,  marking  the  dead 
past.     Over  the  south  door,  in  white  letters  on  black  ground,  arc;  thess 


174 

words:    "Built  A.  D.   1751.     Destroyed  by  fire  1751,  and  Rebuilt  A.   D. 
1757  by  Mourning  Richards,  Undertaker.     Wm.  Copein,  Mason." 

The  aisles  of  the  church  are  of  stone,  the  cross  in  the  center  being 
of  white  marble.  At  the  southeastern  angle  of  the  cross  is  the  old 
"three-decker"  pulpit,  with  its  great  sounding-board.  The  chancel  is 
at  the  east  end  of  the  cross.  It  contains  a  handsome  reredos,  with 
four  panels,  on  which  are  the  Ten  Commandments,  Apostles'  Creed 
and  Lord's  Prayer.  Beneath  the  chancel  rest  the  remains  of  Mr. 
Moncure,  and  under  the  Communion  table  is  a  marble  slab,  with  this 
Inscription: 

"In  memory  of  the  Race  of  the  House  of  Moncure." 

The  pews  are  of  the  old  square  kind. 

The  gallery  faces  the  chancel  from  the  west  end  of  the  cross,  anc* 
on  a  panel  of  it  are  the  names  of  the  first  minister  and  vestry,  as 
follows: 

lohn  Moncure,  minister;  Peter  Hed^eraan,  lehn  Mercer.  lohn  Lee, 
Mott  Doniphan,  Henry  Tyler,  William  Mountjoy,  Benjamin  Strother 
Thomas  Fitzhugh,  Peter  Daniel,  Travers  Cook,  Church-wardens.  lohn 
Fitzhugh,  lohn  Peyton,  Vestrymen.     1757.     Mr.  Moncure  died  in  17ti4. 

In  1777  important  changes  were  again  made  in  both  county  and 
parish  lines.  Up  to  that  date,  as  stated,  Stafford  lay  wholly  on  the 
Potomac,  extending  from  Westmoreland  to  Prince  William,  while  King 
George  lay  wholly  on  the  Rappahannock,  extending  from  Richmond 
county  to  Fauquier.  The  Stafford  parishes  were  Overwharton  and 
St.  Paul  and  those  in  King  George,  Hanover  and  Brunswick.  The 
divide  or  watershed  was  practically  the  dividing  line. 

In  1777  the  county  lines  were  all  changed  to  run  across  the  Neck 
instead  of  with  the  rivers.  The  parish  lines  between  King  George  and 
Westmoreland  were  adjusted  to  conform  to  the  county  lines,  but  this 
was  not  done  between  King  George  and  Stafford.  Brunswick  Parish 
is  supposed  to  be  in  King  George,  because  Lamb's  Creek,  the  only 
church  in  the  parish  for  many  years,  is  in  that  county.  As  a  fact,  at 
least  five-sixths  of  the  parish  was  in  Stafford. 

This  arrangement  has  continued  to  the  present  day,  though  the 
hand  of  time  almost  obliterated  parish  lines,  and  the  trials  which  the 
Church  has  gone  through  have  made  it  impossible,  in  late  years,  to 
have  more  than  one  minister  to  both  parishes,  wherever  they  might 
be  situated. 


175 

The  Rev.  John  Moncure  was  succeeded  in  the  rectorship  by  the  Rev. 
Clement  Brooke,  and  in  1785,  when  the  American  Church  was  or- 
ganized, the  Rev.  Robert  Buchan  was  rector  of  Overwharton,  and 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Thornton  of  Brunswick  Parish.  These  were  thus 
the  last  clergymen  serving  under  the  Mother  Church. 

The  following  entry  in  the  records  in  the  clerk's  office  at  Stafford 
Court-house  relates  to   this  period: 

"At  a  vestrey  held  for  the  Parish  of  Overwharton,  at  the  Glebe  of 
the  same,  20th  of  August,  1785 — Robert  Buchan,  minister;  Thomas 
Mountjoy,  John  R.  Peyton,  Church  Wardens;  John  Mountjoy,  Wm. 
Gerrard,  Moses  Phillips,  Elijah  Threlkheld,  George  Burroughs  and 
James  Withers,  Vestreymen. 

"Pursuant  to  an  Act  of  Assembly,  we  the  minister  and  Vestrey  of 
Overwharton  Parish,  proceed  to  value  the  real  and  personal  estate 
of  said  parish,  do  find:  235  acres  of  land,  worth  £15  per  annum;  100 
ditto  for  the  poor  house;  chalice  and  plate  of  Aquia  Church,  £5; 
ditto,  at  Potomac  Church,  £6." 

The  lay  delegates  at  the  Convention  in  1785  were  Mr.  Charles 
Carter,  representing  Overwharton,  and  Mr.  William  Fitzhugh,  Bruns- 
wick Parish.  In  1786  Mr.  Fitzhugh  again  represented  Brunswick 
Parish. 

In  consequence  of  absence  of  records  and  decline  of  the  Church 
in  the  years  succeeding  the  Revolution,  there  are  but  fitful  glimpses 
of  parish   history  until  within   comparatively  late   years. 

In  1819  the  Rev.  Thomas  Allen  had  charge  of  the  work  at  Aquia 
and  Dumfries,  the  seats  of  the  old  parishes  of  Overwharton  and 
Dettingen.  The  next  minister  of  whom  there  is  record  is  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Prestman,  and  after  him  the  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson.  Both  of  these 
clergymen   labored   as   missionaries  for   the   revival    of   the   work. 

The  old  church  survived  these  troublous  days,  but  was  almost  a 
ruin  in  1837.  Bishop  Meade  thus  graphically  describes  it  as  he 
beheld  it  when  on  his  regular  visitation  in  later  years:  "It  was  a 
melancholy  sight  to  behold  the  vacant  space  around  the  house,  which, 
in  other  days,  had  been  filled  with  horses  and  carriages  and  footmen, 
now  overgrown  with  trees  and  bushes,  the  limbs  of  the  green  cedars 
not  only  casting  their  shadows,  but  resting  their  arms  on  the  dingy 
walls  and  thrusting  them  through  the  broken  windows,  thus  giving 
an  air  of  pensiveness  and  gloom  to  the  whole  scene.  The  very  path- 
way up  the  commanding  eminence  on   which   the  church   stands  was 


176 

filled  with  young  trees,  while  the  arms  of  the  older  ones  so  embraced 
each  other  over  it  that  it  was  difficult  to  ascend." 

The  darkest  hour,  however,  is  before  the  dawn,  as  the  Bishop's  next 
entry  proves,  though  a  number  of  years  intervened  between  this  and 
the  succeeding  visit,  the  latter  being  in  1856: 

"Had  I  been  suddenly  dropped  down  upon  it,  I  should  not  have 
recognized  the  place  and  building.  The  trees,  brushwood  and  rubbish 
had  been  cleared  away. 

"The  light  of  heaven  had  been  let  in  upon  the  once  gloomy  sanc- 
tuary. At  the  expense  of  eighteen  hundred  dollars  (almost  all  of  it 
contributed  by  the  descendants  of  Mr.  Moncure),  the  house  had  been 
repaired  within,  without  and  above.  The  dingy  walls  were  painted 
white,  and  looked  new  and  fresh,  and  to  me  it  appeared  one  of  the 
best  and  most  imposing  temples  in  our  land.  The  congregation  was 
a  good  one.  The  descendants  of  Mr.  Moncure,  still  bearing  his  name, 
formed  a  large  portion." 

These  improvements  were  made  when  the  Rev.  Henry  Wall  was 
rector  of  the  parish.  He  was  succeeded  in  1858  by  the  Rev.  George  L. 
Mackenheimer. 

Dark  days  came  again  to  the  old  church  in  the  troublous  years  of 
the  Civil  War,  out  of  which  it  emerged  dilapidated  and  well-nigh 
ruined.  It  had  been  a  camping  place  for  soldiers,  and  the  desecra- 
tion of  the  sacred  precincts  was  lamentable.  Again  was  its  existence 
threatened;  the  plastering  fell  or  hung  loosely  to  the  walls,  the 
pillars  to  the  gallery  began  to  give  way,  the  doors  were  open  and 
desolation  reigned.  When  the  storm  passed,  however,  the  remnant 
of  the  Church  people  put  forth  their  efforts  to  reclaim  it.  The  de- 
scendants of  the  good  and  holy  men  of  long  ago,  at  a  distance,  com- 
bined their  efforts  with  those  of  Church  people  in  the  county,  and 
again,  after  the  lapse  of  years,  the  old  church  renewed  its  youth. 
Among  these  friends  of  liie  Church  were  the  Scotts  and  Robinsons,  the 
former  contributing  to  the  immediate  needs  of  the  building,  and  the 
latter,  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Moncure  Robinson,  who.  by  an  endowment, 
looked  to  its  future  condition.  To  this  latter  gentleman,  now  gone  to 
his  reward,  and  his  nephews,  Messrs.  Philip  and  Barton  Haxall,  his 
administrators  in  the  matter,  and  who  are  also  descendants  of  the  old 
rector,  the  church  owes  much. 

The  faithful  efforts  of  those  who  lived  near  and  worshipped  in  the 
old  church  were  equally  great  and  effective  in  the  work  of  restoration, 


177 

and  what  is  best  of  all,  the  revival  of  that  which  it  represented.  These 
consisted  largely  of  the  descendants  of  the  old  rector  and  his  faithful 
supporters  in  long  ago,  and  their  influence  has  thus  been  perpetuated. 
to  the  glory  of  God. 

After  the  war  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Meredith  became  rector  of  the  parish. 
He  found  a  communicant  list  of  eight,  which,  by  his  faithful  efforts, 
and  the  grace  of  God,  was  in  a  brief  time  increased  to  fifty  or  more.. 
He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Robert  S.  Barrett.  -; 

Among  those  who  labored  most  earnestly  and  effectively  for  the 
restoration  of  the  old  church  in  later  years  were  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
liam E.  Moncure  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  V.  Moncure. 

These  sleep  in  the  family  graveyard  at  Somerset,  near  "Clermont." 
Others  now  living  are:  Mr.  R.  C.  L.  Moncure,  Mr.  Hugh  Adie,  the  fam- 
ilies of  Mr.  Withers  Waller  and  Mr.  Travers  Moncure,  James  Ashby 
and  Henry  Moncure. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Barrett  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  George  H.  Apple- 
ton,  and  he  by  the  Rev.  George  M.  Funsten.  Under  the  rectorship 
of  the  latter,  a  new  and  commodious  rectory  was  built.  It  was  sub- 
sequently destroyed  by  fire,  but  has  been  rebuilt  after  an  improved 
plan. 

The  other  rectors  in  succession  are:  Rev.  T.  Carter  Page,  the  Rev. 
J.  H.  Birkhead,  the  Rev.  J.  Howard  Gibbons  and  the  present  faithful 
and  beloved  rector,  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Burwell. 

The  old  church  is  in  better  condition  than  it  has  been  for  years. 
Its  beautiful  and  imposing  appearance  at  once  impresses  the  beholder 
and  quickens  the  admiration  for  the  church  architecture  of  Colonial 
days. 

The  communicant  list  approximates  one  hundred.  Sunday-schools 
and  other  parish  activities  are  doing  much  good,  and  the  bright  old 
days  seem  returning,  freighted  with  the  blessing  of  the  God  of  our 
fathers.  The  venerable  and  now  venerated  building  thus  abides  in 
her  strength,  supported  by  her  children.  Having  come  safely  through 
the  wars,  and  having  endured  the  storms  of  time,  she  stands  in 
majesty,  typical  of  the  Word,  which  has  so  often  been  proclaimed 
from  the  old  pulpit,  promising  strength  to  the  cause  of  righteousness. 


ST.  PAUL'S  CHURCH,  KING  GEORGE  COUNTY, 

VIRGINIA. 

BY    AIISS    NANNIE   UYKI)    TIRNER. 

N  King  George  county,  a  tew  miles  from  the  Potomac  River  and 
ten  from  the  Rappahannock,  stands  old  St.  Paul's  church,  one  of 
the  most  venerable  and  interesting  of  the  Colonial  churches  of 
Virginia.  Regarding  its  exact  age  there  is  doubt,  as  the  written 
statements  concerning  it  vary,  and  there  seems  as  yet  no  way  of  de- 
termining which  is  right.  We  find  the  parish  records,  however,  run- 
ning back  as  far  as  the  year  1716,  with  references  to  still  earlier 
records,  and  furnishing  a  sort  of  context  to  the  history  of  the  present 
building. 

This  building  was  erected  somewnere  about  -the  middle  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  is,  consequently,  now  over  a  hundred  and 
fifty  years  old.  It  was  built  for  the  ministration  of  the  Rev.  William 
Stuart,  son  of  the  first  rector  of  the  parish,  the  Rev.  David  Stuart. 
The  latter,  a  direct  descendant  of  the  royal  house  of  Stuart,  came  to 
this  country  from  Scotland  in  1715,  and  was  soon  after  given  charge 
of  St.  Paul's  Parish,  though  the  church  building  at  that  time  was  some 
miles  distant  from  its  present  site.  The  two  Stuarts,  father  and  son, 
for  nearly  eighty  years  fed  the  flock  of  Christ  in  the  same  field; 
though  it  was  not  until  the  Rev.  William  Stuart  took  charge,  about 
1750,  that  the  St.  Paul's  of  to-day — the  brick  building  now  standing — 
was  erected.  This  saintly  man-  left  a  name  that  shines  almost  with  a 
halo  in  the  records  that  follow  him.  His  goodness  and  eloquence 
and  lovable  personality  appear  to  have  strengthened  and  beautified 
the  spirit  of  the  parish,  and  led  it  into  great  religious  prosperity. 
His  letter  of  resignation,  when  physical  frailty  at  last  compelled  him 
to  give  up  the  work,  is  touching  in  its  mingled  solicitude  and  sub- 
mission: 

"To  the  Vestry  of  St.  Paul's  Parish: 

Gentlemen. — I  have  been  curate  of  this  parish  upward  of  forty 
years.  My  own  conscience  bears  me  witness,  and  I  trust  my  parish- 
ioners  (though  many  of  them  have  fallen  asleep)    will  also  witness. 


179 

that  until  age  and  infirmities  disabled  me,  I  always,  so  far  as  my 
infirmities  would  allow,  faithfully  discharged  my  duties  as  a  minister 
of  the  Gospel.  It  has  given  me  many  hours  of  anxious  concern  that 
the  services  of  the  Church  should  be  so  long  discontinued  on  my  ac- 
count. The  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  fleish  is  weak.  I  therefore 
entreat  the  favor  of  you  to  provide  me  a  successor  as  soon  as  you 
can,  that  divine  service  may  be  discontinued  no  longer;  and  at  the  end 
of  the  year  the  glebe  shall  be  given  up  to  him  by  your  affectionate 
servant,  William    Stuart." 

But  with  his  passing,  old  St.  Paul's  fell  on  evil  days.  For  some 
reason,  his  successor  was  never  ordained  to  the  priesthood,  and  here 
we  discern  what  was,  perhaps,  the  first  shadow  of  the  darkness  that 
followed.  A  few  years  after  he  died  we  find  the  grand  building  in 
ruins,  and,  as  a  vestryman  of  a  later  day  wrote  sadly,  "The  life  of 
the  church  almost  gone  out."  Only  the  walls  remained,  of  such  won- 
derful masonry  as  to  defy  all  ravages — and  these  were  desecrated. 
The  history  of  this  period  must  he  taken  either  as  a  record  of  unr 
precedented  poverty  among  the  people,  or  else  as  a  sharp  commentary 
on  the  coldness  and  laxity  of  the  time — perhaps  both.  The  chronicler 
states  that  there  was  occasionally  lay  reading  in  the  ruins;  ana  this 
was  all,  except  for  "association  meetings"  at  intervals.  For  the  rest, 
beasts  of  the  field  roamed  through  the  church,  or  what  was  left  of 
it;  soldiers  camped  tliere,  and  the  decaying  contents  furnished  plunder 
for  the  "ruthless  of  the  land."  Bishop  Meade's  account  of  his  visita- 
tion in  1812  is  a  vivid  pen  picture  of  the  desolation  that  had  come 
upon  the  once  prosperous  church.     He  says: 

"St.  Paul's  was  then  in  ruins.  The  roof  was  ready  to  fall,  and  not 
a  window,  door,  pew  or  timber  remained  below.  Nevertheless,  notice 
was  given  that  we  would  preach  there.  A  rude,  temporary  pulpit  or 
stand  was  raised  In  one  angle  of  the  cross,  and  from  that  we  per- 
formed service  and  addressed  the  people.  On  the  night  before  the 
meeting  a  heavy  rain  had  fallen,  and  the  water  was  in  small  pools 
here  and  there  where  the  floor  once  was,  so  that  it  was  difficult  to 
find  a  dry  spot  on  which  the  attendants  might  stand."  *  *  * 

Truly,  things  had  come  to  a  woeful  pass  for  old  St.  Paul's.  We  can 
almost  see  now  the  forlorn  congregation  liuddled  in  one  side  of  the 
building,  exposed  to  all  the  winds  of  heaven,  with  pools  of  water  under- 
foot and  a  precarious  roof  overhead.  I  fancy  the  old  Bishop's  face 
was  sad  enough  as  he  ascended  his  "rude  temporary  pulpit."     He  must 


180 

have  felt  like  crying  out  with  the  distressed  prophet  of  Israel,  "Being 
desolate,  it  niourneth   unto   me." 

A  few  years  later  we  find  the  Legislature  turning  the  ruins  over 
to  the  citizens  of  the  county,  with  permission  to  convert  them  into 
a  sort  of  academy.  This  decree  was  indirectly  the  means  of  restoring 
to  some  extent  the  place  of  worship,  for  thereafter,  for  a  while  at 
least,  the  building  was  used  conjointly  as  a  church  and  an  institution 
of  learning.  Probably  the  back  part,  the  upper  half  of  the  "cross," 
served  for  the  school,  while  in  the  remaining  three-quarters  services 
were  resumed.  This  arrangement  does  not  seem  to  have  prospered, 
though,  for  after  a  time  the  seminary  was  neglected  and  the  house 
"became  inconvenient  for  purposes  of  worship."  It  was  as  though 
the  spirit  of  the  church  could  not  brook  this  sharing  with  the  world, 
as  it  were,  precincts  that  had  hitherto  been  trod  by  worshippers  only. 

Sometime  after  this  the  cloud  begins  to  show  a  silver  lining,  for 
the  neighbors  petitioned  the  Legislature  to  give  the  building  back 
to  its  rightful  owners  and  its  original  purposes.*  This  request  was 
complied  with,  and  three-quarters  of  the  edifice  was  forthwith  set 
aside  to  be  used  wholly  as  a  church,  while  the  one-fourth  in  the 
rear,  separated  from  the  rest  by  thick  walls,  was  made  the  abode  of 
the  rector. 

In  1816  the  parish  had  been  reorganized  by  a  newly-made  vestry 
and  between  1822  and  1850  we  find  various  ministers  taking  the 
oversight  of  the  flock:  The  Rev.  Joseph  Clapham;  the  Rev.  Edward 
Peet,  to  whom  belongs  the  honor  of  naving  done  most  toward  bring- 
ing the  church  back  to  its  ancient  prestige;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goldsmith, 
and  others.  We  fancy  that  even  in  the  forsaken  years,  even  during 
its  time  of  utter  destitution  and  desolation,  there  were  some  who  loved 
the  old  church  still,  and  cared  to  linger  within  its  walls.  It  is  said 
that  an  old  colored  woman  who  had  spent  her  life  near  the  place — 
having  belonged  to  a  family  of  the  congregation — used  to  go  regularly 
every  Sunday  and  sit  among  the  ruins.  On  being  questioned,  she 
answered  that  it  did  her  more  good  to  sit  there  and  "think  over  the 
old  prayers"  than  it  would  to  go  a-praying  in  any  of  the  newer  churches 
of  other  denominations. 

After  the  restoration  there  may  have  been  times  of  discouragement, 
of  decreasing  prosperity  and  dark  outlooks  for  a  while — no  doubt  they 
came;  and  there  was  the  blow  of  the  Civil  War  and  its  attendant 
df-moralization;    but  the  tide  had  turned,  the  old  church — the  physical 


181 

part — stood  firm,  and  the  spiritual  part  went  on  from  strength  to 
strength.  Sunday  after  Sunday  the  people  gathered  in  their  reclaimed 
temple  to  join  in  the  prayers  and  praises  of  the  service.  There  was 
never  any  lapse  into  the  old  dread  state;  and  the  years  dealt  kindly, 
on  the  whole,  with  that  which  had  been  recovered  by  the  grace  of 
God  from  such  a  Slough  of  Despond. 

St.  Paul's  stands  to-day,  as  it  stood  a  century  and  a  half  ago,  un- 
changed in  form,  unaltered  in  construction,  with  the  self-same  bricks 
in  its  walls  that  the  first  builders  put  there.  The  shape  is  cruciform, 
and,  as  of  old,  three  parts  of  the  cross  make  up  the  place  of  worship, 
while  the  fourth  is  a  spacious  vestry-room,  warm  and  high-pitched. 
Three  flights  of  stairs  lead  up  to  a  gallery,  which  runs  around  three 
whole  sides  of  the  building,  and  afford?  of  itself  room  for  a  congrega- 
tion. Two  stories  of  windows;  that  is,  windows  in  both  gallery  and 
lower  floor,  let  in  abundant  light  and  air;  and  an  entrance  to  each 
angle  of  the  cross  allows  the  congregation  to  enter  by  different  aisles, 
thus  making  their  assembling  well-nigh  noiseless.  An  old  lofty  pulpit, 
draped  in  deep  crimson  and  approached  by  a  stairway  of  no  mean  di- 
mensions, occupies  the  background  of  the  chancel.  The  Communion 
rail  makes  an  immense  semi-circle,  which  accommodates  a  large  num- 
ber;  while  the  entire  building  would  seat  five  hundred  people. 

The  plate  still  used  for  the  service  was  donated  a  good  deal  over  a 
hundred  years  ago  by  a  communicant,   and  bears  the  inscription: 

"Given  by  Henry  Fitzhugh,  of  Stafford  county.  St.  Paul's  Parisn, 
Gent.,  for  the  use  of  your  church."  There  is  a  Prayer  Book,  also  pre- 
sented in  1830  by  Miss  Jane  Parke,  a  descendant  of  the  first  rector; 
and  in  the  old  pulpit  is  to  be  found  a  large  Bible,  the  gift  of  the 
well-beloved  Rev.  William  Stuart,  in  1769,  and  inscribed  with  his  name 
and  the  date.  This  volume  Is  a  Cambridge  edition,  appointed  by  His 
Majesty's  special  command  to  be  read  in  churches  "cum  privilegiis," 
with  the  dedication:  "To  our  most  high  and  mighty  Prince  James, 
by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  Great  Britain,  France  and  Ireland,  De- 
fender of  the  Faith,  the  translators  of  the  Bible  wish  grace,  mercy 
and  peace,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

St.  Paul's  holds  many  precious  memories  and  associations  for  the 
congregation  of  to-day.  There  is  scarcely  a  member  who  cannot 
claim,  "My  grandfather  was  vestryman — or  warden — or  rector  here"; 
or,  at  least,   "My  ancestors  worshipped  in  these  very  walls."     It  was 


182 

on  the  doorstep  of  this  church  that  one  of  our  Virginia  Bishops  was 
won  to  Christ.  A  thoughtless  unbeliever,  lingering  outside  at  a 
Sunday  service,  he  overheard  the  sermon  heing  delivered  within,  and, 
like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  saw  a  great  light.  And  doubtless,  to  many  others 
have  come,  beneath  that  roof,  during  these  two  hundred  years,  illu- 
minations across  a  dark  path,  sudden  moments  of  falling  at  the  Divine 
feet — revelations  too  deep  for  telling. 

One  of  the  treasures  of  the  parish  is  the  ancient  church  register, 
now  in  the  possession  of  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Rev.  David  Stuart. 
Its  first  pages  are  torn  out,  and  the  earliest  recorded  date  is  1716, 
while  the  leaves  are  thinned  and  blackened  by  time;  but  the  staunch 
coverings  have  resisted  the  wear  of  two  centuries,  and  the  contents 
is  remarkably  well  preserved.  The  small,  cramped  handwriting,  ornate 
with  flourishes  and  long  s's,  microscopic,  faded,  is  still  legible,  and 
one  can  trace  there  the  record  of  a  mighty  gathering  in  of  souls.  A 
remarkable  feature  is  the  long  list  of  negro  baptisms,  hundreds  on 
hundreds,  exceeding  in  number  the  baptisms  of  the  whites.  Tbe 
countless  entries  give  the  same  names  that  are  borne  today  in  the 
congregation:  Ashton,  Grymes,  Fitzhugh,  Stuart,  Berry,  Tayloe,  Hooe, 
Washington,  with  others  no  longer  represented.  Received  into  the 
Church,  united  in  matrimony,  committed  to  the  dust  "in  the  hope  of 
a  glorious  resurrection" — generation  after  generation  of  gentle.  God- 
fearing folk — this  the  age-worn  register  stands  for.  The  people  touch 
It  with  reverent  hands,  just  as  they  sit  reverently  Sunday  after  Sunday 
in  the  shadow  of  the  walls  tnat  sheltered  those  very  souls.  In  that 
building  one  seems  inaeeo  to  be  compassed  about  by  a  great  cloud  of 
witnesses. 

To-day  old  St.  Pauls  is  a  landmark,  a  proud  possession.  I  would 
call  it  more:  A  witness  to  the  faith  which  endures,  the  religion  that 
time  and  adversity,  and  destruction  itself,  cannot  overthrow. 


MERCHANT'S  HOPE  CHURCH,  MARTIN'S 
BRANDON  PARISH,  VIRGINIA. 

BY    >'.    P.    DL'XX,    RICHMOND,    VA. 

ABOUT  fourteen  miles  from  Petersburg  and  half  that  distance 
from  Prince  George  Court-house,  stands  Merchant's  Hope 
chui'ch,  at  a  point  two  miles  inland  from  James  River,  on 
what  is  known  as  the  Church  Road.  The  building,  of  ancient 
brick,  is  sixty  feet  long  and  thirty  feet  wide,  with  walls  twenty-two 
inches  thick,  and  rafters  of  such  unusual  size  that  their  weight  proved 
a  menace  even  to  those  sturdy  walls  which  were,  some  fifty  years 
ago,  braced  by  iron  rods  to  prevent  threatened  damage.  On  one  of 
these  rafters  the  number  1657  was  found.  It  was  taken  to  be  the 
date  of  the  erection  of  the  church,  and  this  date  is  now  painted  on 
the  outside  cornice  of  the  building.  Of  the  credibility  of  the  inference 
antiquarians  must  judge.  The  aisles,  passing  from  both  doors  and 
meeting  at  the  chancel,  are  six  feet  wide  and  are  paved  with  the 
original  flag  stones,  practically  in  perfect  preservation  after  all  these 
years.  They  are  eighteen  inches  square,  and  were  doubtless  im- 
ported, as  others  of  that  day  are  known  to  have  been.  On  replacing 
one  of  these  tiles  which  had  become  lOOsened,  it  was  found  to  bear 
on  its  under  surface  a  crown  cut  in  the  stone  as  a  sort  of  stamp  or 
trademark.  Across  the  end  of  the  church,  opposite  the  chancel,  runs 
a  gallery.  Passing  under  this,  the  west  door  is  reached,  on  one  side 
of  which  is  a  small  vesting  room,  lighted  by  a  tiny  window  into  the 
church.  On  the  other  side  a  stairway  leads  to  the  gallery.  The  ceil- 
ing, following  a  low  curve,  was  until  recently  of  white  plaster,  like 
the  finish  of  the  walls,  but  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  keeping  its 
arched  surface  in  repair,  it  is  now  ceiled  in  wood.  The  old  lines  were 
preserved  and  the  acoustic  properties  of  the  church  are  said  to  owe 
their  excellence  to  this  form  of  roof.  The  old  square  pews  remained 
in  use  till  the  Civil  War,  and  are  now  replaced  by  the  modern  kind, 
while  the  chancel,  destroyed  at  the  samd  time,  has  never  been  restored. 
The  original  rail  and  gate  are  replaced  by  a  curved  walnut  rail.  The 
necessary  furnishings  are  the  simplest.  Within  the  memory  of  the 
father  of  the  present  senior  warden  the  high  pulpit,  with  its  sounding- 


184 

board,  stood  midway  down  the  cliurcli,  (lie  minister  leaving  the  chancel 
and  traversing  half  the  length  of  the  aisle  to  enter  it.  The  upright 
beam  to  which  the  sounding  board  was  affixed  is  detected  beneath 
the  plaster  now.  The  church's  jewel  is  an  old  Bible  of  great  beauty 
and  interest.  The  title  pages  are  gone,  but  expert  testimony  affirms 
it  to  be  "the  New  Testament  of  1639,  which  is  appended  to  the  Old 
Testament  of  1640."  There  seems  no  reason  to  doubt  that  it  is  John 
Westhrope's  "great  Bible,"  left  to  the  parish  in  1658. 

The  church  yard,  lying  beside  the  little  church,  contains  no  tomb- 
stones, nor  is  there  a  tradition  that  any  ever  existed.  In  that  part  of 
the  w^orld  the  plantations  were  large  and  the  distances  great,  and  the 
custom  of  interment  in  private  burying  grounds  to  a  great  extent 
prevailed.  The  church  yard  is  carefully  fenced,  and  is  still  occa- 
sionally used  as  a  place  of  burial.  No  monument  or  tablet  nor  trace 
of  such  marks  the  church  walls.  No  old  register  exists,  no  new  one 
has  been  begun.  The  spot  is  mute  as  to  its  own  history,  and  one  who 
would  learn  the  story  must  glean  far  and  wide  and  at  last  ])ring 
home  but  a  small  sheaf. 

The  church  takes  its  quaint  and  suggestive  name  from  the  old 
plantation  on  which  it  stood.  No  part  of  the  tract  retains  the  name 
to-day  except  God's  Acre.  The  small  farms  into  which  it  was  divided 
long  ago  have  well-known  names  of  their  own.  A  bark  called  Ye 
Merchant's  Hope  was  plying  between  England  and  Virginia  in  1634. 
In  1035,  under  West,  William  Barker,  Mariner,  Richard  Quoyning 
(Quiney)  and  John  Sadler,  Merchants,  and  their  associates  and  com- 
pany, received  a  grant  of  "1,250  acres  of  land  in  the  county  of  Charles 
City,  and  extending  into  the  woods  from  a  seat  or  grant  of  lands 
called  Merchant's  Hope,  formerly  granted  to  the  said  Barker  his 
Associates  and  Co."  This  tract,  enlarged  by  the  purchase  from  his 
heirs  of  Captain  Powell's  holdings,  already  historic  ground  by  reason 
of  his  tiagic  end  here  in  the  Massacre  of  1622,  was  repatented  under 
Harvey  in  1638  as  "Merchant's  Hope,  formerly  known  as  Powle  Brook." 
Barker  received  further  grants,  and  bought  other  lands  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. Sadler  and  the  company  were  granted  some  portion  of  Mar- 
tin's Brandon  in  1636  and  other  tracts  in  1649,  and  the  holdings  of 
these  men  now  formed  two  plantations  of  great  size,  the  home  of  a 
considerable  colony. 

In  1655  we  hear  for  the  first  time  of  court  l)eing  held  at  ^Merchant's 
Hope.     Barker  must    have  sold   his   interest   in   the   two  places,   leaving 


185 

Quiney  and  Sadler  joint  owners.  Quiney,  whose  brother  Thomas  had 
married  Judith  Shakespeare  in  1615-16,  died  in  London  in  1655.  Sadler, 
who  was,  I  believe,  his  father-in-law,  died  in  1658.  Of  his  will  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  speak  later. 

In  1711,  under  Spotswood,  the  Sadler  and  Quiney  heirs  repatented 
Merchant's  Hope,  now  2,208  acres.  In  the  meantime  that  part  of 
Charles  City  county  lying  along  the  south  bank  of  James  River  had 
been  made  into  a  new  county  and  called  Prince  George,  no  doubt  in 
honor  of  Queen  Anne's  Danish  consort.  There  is  a  deed  among  the 
Prince  George  county  records,  executed  in  1720,  conveying,  on  the  part 
of  Quiney's  heirs,  one-half  of  Merchant's  Hope  and  Martin's  Brandon 
to  Nathaniel  Harrison,  who  doubtless  bought  the  other  half  of  both 
plantations  from  the  heirs  of  John  Sadler.  He  thus  became  the  sole 
owner  of  a  magnificent  tract,  which  in  part  remains  in  the  Harrison 
family  to-day. 

Court  was  transferred  from  Merchant's  Hope  in  1726.  A  field  two 
miles  from  the  church  is  now  known  as  "Court-house  Jamb."  We 
can  not  doubt  that  it  is  the  site  of  the  court-house.  As  the  building 
fell  into  ruin,  perhaps  some  upright  for  door  or  window  outlasted 
its  fellows,  and  so  gave  a  name  to  the  spot,  which  clings  to  it  still. 

The  parish  of  Martin's  Brandon,  in  which  Merchant's  Hope  church 
lies,  was,  says  Meade,  "a  very  early  parish  in  Charles  City."  From  it 
Bristol  parish  was  cut  off  in  1642.  Bishop  Meade  mentions  that  Mer- 
chant's Hope  and  old  Brandon  were  the  only  churches  in  the  parish. 
Their  history  he  dismisses  with  very  few  words. 

Probably  the  site  of  the  oldest  church  of  the  parish  is  to  be  found 
at  Brandon.  The  suggestive  name  of  Church  Pastures  clings  to  a 
small  farm  on  the  estate,  where  there  is  a  churchyard  with  a  few 
still  decipherable  tombstones.  Here  are  buried  some  of  the  Tookers 
(or  Tuckers),  of  Devonshire,  and  John  Tirrey,  Gent.,  who  died  in 
1700.  Near  here  is  the  grave  of  John  Westhrope's  wife.  The  will  of 
John  Westhrope.  of  London,  Merchant,  made  in  1655,  after  his  return 
to  England,  and  proved  in  1658,  leaves  "to  the  church  of  Martin 
Brandon,  in  Virginia,  2,000  lbs.  of  Merchantable  Tobacco  and  Caske, 
toward  the  Repairing  or  the  building  up  of  a  new  Church;  provided, 
always,  the  said  church  be  built  upon  the  same  ground  or  place  the 
said  church  now  stands  on;  also  1,000  lbs.  of  Tobacco  and  Caske  to 
contain  the  same,  to  bye  a  Communion  Cupp,  also  my  great  Bible  and 
a   book   called   Bishop   Andrew's   sermons."      "The    Communion    Cupp" 


186 

is  a  cherished  possession  of  the  present  church  at  Brandon.  It  was 
doubtless  used  by  both  churches  as  long  as  they  remained  in  the 
ii.ame  parish,  for  after  the  separation  in  1857  we  find  an  appropriation 
of  $70  at  Merchant's  Hope  for  a  Communion  service,  which  is  the  one 
now  in  use  there. 

Another  will  of  this  period  which  contains  a  mention  of  the  parish 
is  that  of  John  Sadler,  above  referred  to.  He  leaves  a  portion  of  his 
cattle  on  "his  plantations  in  Virginia  in  parts  beyond  the  sea  *  *  *  to 
the  minister  and  parish  there,  and  £20  worth  of  goods  to  be  delivered 
to  Master  Charles  Sparrowe  and  the  chiefest  of  the  parishioners  of 
the  parish  of  Martin's  Brandon,  to  repairing  the  church  and  par- 
sonage." Of  course,  this  church,  about  whose  repair  Sadler  and  Wes- 
thrope  were  concerning  themselves,  could  not  be  a  recently  built  brick 
edifice,  but  must  refer  to  the  earlier  church  of  Brandon. 

If  the  date  1657  is  assignable  to  the  present  Merchant's  Hope  church, 
we  may  imagine  its  erection  undertaken  under  the  law  passed  in 
1655,  reiterating  former  decrees  of  Assembly  ^nd  urging  the  laying 
out  of  parishes,  the  building  of  churches  and  the  buying  of  glebes. 
In  1667,  under  Berkeley,  there  was  granted  to  "the  Parish  of  Martyn's 
Brandon  200  acres  for  a  Glebe  belonging  to  their  church  in  the  County 
of  Charles  City,  between  Captain  Johnson's  land  and  the  'Merchants.'  " 
A  farm  still  called  the  Glebe,  and  lying  midway  between  the  two 
churches,  would  seem  to  correspond  to  this  grant.  No  other  mention 
of  it  has  come  to  my  notice.  It  is  a  luatter  of  record  when  the  sale 
of  many  glebes  was  allowed  at  the  request  of  the  parish  vestries,  but 
no  such  request  is  to  be  found  in  the  case  of  Martin's  Brandon. 

The  first  minister  in  the  parish  whose  report  we  find  is  John  Warden, 
who  states  that  he  came  to  Virginia  in  1712.  "In  six  months  went  to 
Waynoak  and  Martin  Brandon,  both  which  parishes  were  hardly  suffi- 
cient to  maintain  a  minister,  therefore  I  removed  to  Lawn's  Creek, 
Surry,  January  30,  1717."  In  the  meanwhile  Peter  Fontaine  had  come 
to  the  colony  in  1716.  He  "preached  at  Weyanoke  and  Martin's  Bran- 
don; some  time  after  at  Wallingford  and  Jamestown,  all  belonging 
to  distinct  parishes."  After  1720,  when  changes  were  made  in  many 
parish  lines,  Fontaine  was  given  the  charge  of  Westover,  which  now 
lay  entirely  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  we  hear  of  no  one  at 
Martin's  Brandon  till  the  time  of  Alexander  Finnie,  in  1754-55.  Bishop 
Meade  mentions  Coutts  as  incumbent  from  1773-76.  Ten  years  later 
Blagrove  was  rector,  followed  after  an  interval  by  Rev.   John  Jones 


187 

Spooner.  Then  follows  a  silence  in  the  parochial  reports.  Bishop 
Meade  tells  us  that  these  were  not  lost  years,  however. 
A  consecrated  man  from  Rhode  Island  worked  among  the  people 
during  this  time,  ably  assisted  by  lay  helpers.  In  1828  Bishop  Moore 
reports  his  intention  to  send  a  missionary  to  Prince  George  and  Surry, 
"through  whose  labours  I  hope  for  a  revival  of  the  Church  and  the 
restoration  of  her  excellent  form  of  worship."  Rev.  John  Cole  was  the 
man  selected,  but  in  1830  we  find  him  in  Gloucester,  and  no  report 
of  Martin's  Brandon  reaches  the  Convention  for  another  seven  years. 
Then  the  Rev.  R.  E.  Northam,  rector  of  Brandon  and  Cabin  Point 
(Surry)  took  charge  of  Merchant's  Hope,  repaired  the  church  and 
formed  a  vestry.  This  is  the  beginning  of  more  prosperous  days,  con- 
tinuous services  and  good  attendance,  with  occasional  visitations  and 
confirmations.  Rev.  Aristides  S.  Smith  came  to  the  church  in  1843. 
A  parsonage  was  built,  and  work  among  the  blacks  received  a  new 
impetus.  He  reports  a  chapel  built  by  two  proprietors  of  adjoining 
estates  for  their  slaves.  He  was  followed  in  the  rectorship  by  Rev. 
Henry  Denison.  The  communicants  now  numbered  thirty-four.  His 
earnest  energies  were  directed  to  the  work  among  the  slaves,  and 
he  reported  encouraging  prospects  and  large  congregations.  He  was 
followed  by  Rev.  Charles  Minnigerode,  under  whose  ministry  the 
flock  abundantly  prospered.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  E.  C. 
Murdaugh. 

Then  came  the  formal  division  of  the  parish.  Brandon  church  and 
Cabin  Point  became  united  in  a  parish,  to  be  known  as  Martin's 
Brandon  and  Southwark.  The  parsonage  was  ceded  to  Merchant's 
Hope,  and  Rev.  R.  L.  Johnson  was  called.  He  was  followed  by  Rev. 
John  S.  Hansborough.  The  war  came  on,  and  the  church  building 
suffered  desecration.  It  was  used  as  u  stable,  while  the  high  pews 
were  torn  out  to  furnish  flooring  for  the  enemy's  tents.  For  these 
damages  the  Court  of  Claims  has  now  allowed  satisfaction,  and  the 
vestry  is  about  to  receive  indemnity.  After  the  war  Mr.  Hansborough 
returned  to  the  desolated  parish,  and  ministered  there  till  1870,  fol- 
lowed by  Rev.  Wm.  F.  Gardner  and  E.  Valentine  Jones.  During  a 
ministry  of  eleven  years  Mr.  Jones  saw  his  charge  prosper  greatly. 
The  old  places  near  by  still  sent  their  representatives  whenever  the 
church  doors  were  opened — the  Cockes,  of  Tar  Bay;  the  Blands,  of 
Jordan's  Point;  the  Willcoxes,  of  Flower  de  Hundred,  and  the  RufRns, 
of  Beechwood. 


188 

The  last  rector  to  serve  the  church  was  Rev.  F.  G.  Ribble,  now  of 
Petersburg.  During  his  stay  of  a  few  months  last  spring  and  summer 
the  Bishop  visited  the  parish  twice  and  confirmed  twenty  persons.  Un- 
fortunately the  church  has  been  closed  since  last  September.  The  field 
is  full  of  promise.  Whenever  the  doors  are  opened  the  church  is  filled 
with  eager,  interested  listeners,  but  it  is  impossible  for  the  congrega- 
tion, in  existing  circumstances,  to  support  a  minister.  The  building 
is  in  perfect  repair,  due  to  the  untiring  zeal  of  its  small  congregation. 
It  has  stood  in  its  integrity  through  all  these  years  witnessing  to  the 
undying  religion  planted  in  our  land  by  its  early  settlers.  After  years 
of  prosperity  the  Civil  War  came,  working  ruin  to  the  whole  region. 
The  tide  of  life  swept  out  and  left  it  stranded.  No  county  in  the  State, 
perhaps,  has  felt  changed  conditions  more  keenly.  In  some  portions 
the  solitude  is  wonderfully  like  desolation,  and  the  pines  in  the  old 
corn  rows  have  almost  reached  maturity.  Perhaps  the  awakening  will 
some  day  come.  When  it  does  it  will  find  the  living  Church  of  Christ 
standing  to  testify  that,  in  the  arrestment  of  material  progress  and  the 
long  sleep  which  looked  like  death,  her  influence  went  out  unfalter- 
ingly, whereby  many  hearts  have  been  quickened. 


THE  FORK  CHURCH,   HANOVER   COUNTY, 
VIRGINIA. 

BY   ROSEWELL   1>AGE. 

^^^jppNj^HERE  is  a  record  in  the  county  of  Louisa,  Virginia,  according  to 
a  letter  in  my  possession,  a  copy  of  a  petition  sent  by  certain 
taxpayers  of  tliat  newly-formed  county  to  the  house  of  Bur- 
gesses in  1740,  praying  to  have  refunded  to  them  a  certain  to- 
bacco tax  that  had  been  levied  on  them  to  build  a  large,  new  and 
convenient  church  in  St.  Martin's  Parish,  Hanover  county. 

That  this  church  was  The  Fork  church,  or  "The  Old  Fork  Church," 
as  it  is  generally  known,  is  asserted  by  two  eminent  Virginians  who 
formerly  lived  in  the  respective  counties  of  Louisa  and  Hanover. 

This  petition  bears  date  two  years  before  the  cutting  off  of  Louisa 
from  Hanover,  and  of  Fredericksville  Parish  from  St.  Martin's  Parish, 
which  appear  from  Henning's  Statutes  (Vol.  V.,  pp.  21  and  208)  to  have 
been  so  separated  in  the  year  1742. 

It  may  add  to  the  value  of  this  paper  to  state  that  the  boundary  be- 
tween the  two  parishes  was  a  line  drawn  from  the  mouth  of  Gladys 
creek,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Northanna  river,  a  course  south  20 
degrees  west,  till  it  intersects  the  Goochland  line.  And  when  Fred- 
ericksville Parish  was  divided,  that  part  which  adjoined  St.  Martin's 
was  called  Trinity   (Hen.  Sts.,  Vol.  VIL,  p.  428). 

St.  Paul's  Parish  in  Hanover  was  divided  in  1726,  six  years  after  the 
county  of  Hanover  was  cut  off  from  New  Kent,  and  to  the  parish  was 
given  the  name  St.  Martin's,  after  St.  Martin-in-the-Fields,  London. 
For  it  was  in  that  very  year  that  that  London  church  was  built  by 
Gipps  (See  Brit.  Enc,  Title  "London"). 

The  church  was  no  doubt  called  St.  Martin's,  but  was  soon  known  as 
"The  Fork  Church,"  from  its  position  with  reference  to  the  two  forks  of 
the  Pamunkey,  as  the  Northanna  and  Southanna  were  called  in  many  of 
the  legal  documents  of  that  time.  In  the  last  twenty-five  years  the  name 
has  been  applied  to  the  neat  little  church  at  Doswell,  five  miles  away 
from  the  mother  church.  Two  other  churches  in  the  western  end  of 
the  parish,  Allen's  Creek  and  Hollowing  Creek,  in  the  memory  of  the 
oldest  inhabitant  of  the  parish,  have  passed  away,  and  no  trace  of  their 


190 

existence  survives.  In  the  place  of  these,  two  other  churches  have 
been  built  in  the  parish,  but  The  Old  Fork  chui'ch  survives  as  a  noble 
monument  to  the  Colonial  Churchmen. 

Built  of  the  glazed  end  brick,  so  familiar  in  Colonial  buildings,  its 
birthday  is  fixed  at  1735,  two  years  after  that  of  the  courthouse  some 
twelve  miles  to  the  east,  which  sheltered  the  throng  assembled  there 
in  1763  to  hear  Patrick  Henry  in  the  "Parsons'  Cause."  It  is  a  matter 
of  great  satisfaction  to  all  lovers  of  the  history  of  the  community 
to  know  that  both  of  these  noble  buildings  are  in  an  excellent  state 
of  preservation.  Tradition  says  that  these  buildings  were  built  of 
brick  brought  from  England,  as  it  says  of  many  other  of  our  Colonial 
buildings;  but,  thankless  as  the  task  is  to  destroy  such  a  tradition, 
I  am  compelled  to  state  that  neither  these,  nor  the  brick  for  any  other 
of  our  churches,  were  brought  from  England.  1  am  confirmed  in  this 
statement  by  the  answer  of  the  learned  Dr.  Philip  Slaughter,  to  whom 
some  years  ago  I  propounded  the  question. 

The  Fork  church  is  a  solid  structure,  whose  length,  7.5. feet,  is  about 
three  times  its  breadth,  with  a  door  at  the  southern  end,  and  another 
on  the  side,  near  the  northeastern  corner.  Over  each  door  there  is 
a  portico  on  brick  columns,  whose  proportion  and  entasis  are  the 
admiration  of  lovers  of  architecture. 

Although  the  records  of  Hanover  county  and  of  St.  Martin's  Parish 
have  been  lost  or  destroyed,  the  history  of  the  old  church  is  safe  in 
the  tradition  and  life  of  the  people. 

In  1886  the  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Slaughter  published  in  the  Southern 
Churchman  an  account  of  his  recovery  of  what  he  called  "The  Rec- 
tory Book"  of  St.  Paul's  Parish,  without  which,  he  says,  even  Bishop 
Meade  had  been  unable  to  give  a  full  history  of  that  parish.  Among 
the  names  he  mentioned  as  figuring  in  the  vestries  in  St.  Paul's  Parish, 
which  as  we  have  seen  embraced  St.  Martin's,  Trinity  and  Fredericks- 
ville  Parishes  until  1726,  were  the  Crawfords,  Merewethers,  Winstons, 
Henrys,  Grymeses,  Bickertons,  Jones,  Andersons,  Rylands,  Garlands, 
Merediths,  Pages,  Pendletons,  Timberlakes,  Lipscombs,  Goodalls,  Ab- 
botts, Macons,  Skeltons,  Pierces,  Taylors,  Darracotts,  Chapmans, 
Streets,  Crosses  and  Pollards. 

An  entry  of  some  interest  is  the  following:  "September,  1708,  Mr. 
Thomas  Sharpe  having  offered  to  be  our  minister,  it  is  agreed  that  he 
preach  in  both  churches  till  the  last  day  of  December  come  twelve 
months,  and  if  at  the  end  of  that  time  he  likes  us  and  we  like  him, 
to    continue.     Otherwise    each    party    to    provide    for    themselves."     It 


191 

is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  preacher  and  people  liked  each  other, 
for  he  continued  to  "be  hired"  from  year  to  year  until  1720,  when  St. 
Martin's  was  cut  off  as  we  have  seen. 

The  Fork  church  is  rich  in  historic  associations.  Hither  came 
Patrick  Henry  in  his  early  infancy,  and  in  later  life  while  living  at 
"Scotch  Town,"  the  interesting  old  hipped  roofed  structure  some  five 
miles  away,  through  whose  wide  hall,  in  spite  of  the  stone  steps, 
Tarleton  and  his  raiders  rode.  For  Patrick  Henry,  with  all  of  his 
zeal  and  enthusiasm  for  the  liberty  of  his  country,  and  with  all  of  his 
feeling  in  behalf  of  the  people  which  burst  forth  in  their  defense 
against  the  Parsons  when  they  demanded  more  than  was  thought 
their  due,  always  revered  the  Episcopal  Church  in  which  he  was 
baptized  and  in  which  his  father,  John  Henry,  had  been  vestryman, 
and  his  uncle,  the  Rev.  Patrick  Henry,  for  whom  he  was  named,  was 
a  parish  minister  for  forty  years.  (Records  of  St.  Paul's  Parish  ante.) 
To  the  Fork  church  from  "Scotch  Town"  came  Henry's  cousin, 
Dorothea,  better  known  as  Dolly,  little  dreaming,  perhaps,  as  she  sat 
in  the  high-backed  pew  over  which  she  could  hardly  see  when  stand- 
ing on  tiptoe  on  a  cushion,  that  she  was  one  day  to  be  the  wife  of 
James  Madison,  President  of  the  United  States. 

There  preached  in  this  parish,  and  at  a  church  called  The  Fork, 
near  "Ground  Squirrel  Bridge,"  Samuel  Davies,  the  great  Presbyterian 
preacher  and  president  of  Princeton  College,  as  well  as  founder  of  the 
Hanover  Presbytery,  that  virile  body,  whose  staunch  stand  against 
the  Establishment  has  been  well  described  by  Cooke,  the  Virginia 
historian. 

St.  Martin's  Parish  still  owns  the  beautiful  communion  service, 
the  paten  and  chalice  inscribed  with  the  following  legend:  "For  the 
use  of  the  churches  in  St.  Martin's  Parish,  In  Hanover  and  Louisa 
counties,  "Virginia,  1759." 

The  history  of  this  service  is  lost.  There  are  two  traditions  about 
it.  One  that  it  was  presented  by  St.  Martin's  church,  London,  and  the 
other  that  it  was  presented  by  William  Nelson,  president  of  the  Coun- 
cil, and  brought  over  by  his  son  Thomas  (afterwards  Governor  Nelson) 
upon  his  return  from  England  that  year,  upon  the  completion  of  his 
education. 

The  following  incidents  are  also  related  of  this  old  service,  in  each 
of  which  Mrs.  Berkeley,  of  "Airwell,"  is  the  heroine:  1st,  that  she 
defied  General  Tarleton  and  his  raiders  when  they  demanded  the  ser- 
vice; and  2d,  that  she  defied  the  overseers  of  the  poor  who  demanded 


192 

it  after  the  glebe  lands  were  taken  from  the  church.  Bishop  Meade 
is  authority  for  the  last  statement.  (Vol.  II.,  Old  Churches',  p.  26.) 
It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  this  same  service  is  now  kept  at  the  same 
place  by  the  descendants  of  that  redoubtable  Churchwoman. 

Near  the  Fork  church  were  grants  of  land  made  by  the  crown  to 
Thomas  Nelson,  grandfather  of  General  Nelson,  upon  a  part  of  which 
his  descendants  now  reside.  The  Marquis  de  Chastellux,  who  served 
in  America  as  Major-General  under  Rochambeau,  describes  his  visit 
to  the  "Offley,"  the  home  of  General  Nelson,  a  few  miles  above  the 
Fork  church.  (Howe's  Miscellanies,  p.  295.)  It  was  at  Mont  Air,  the 
home  of  his  son  Francis,  who  so  long  represented  the  parish  in  the 
councils  of  the  Church,  that  General  Nelson  died;  and  it  was  within 
a  few  miles  of  the  old  church  at  "Springfield"  that  his  widow  lived, 
having  survived  him  nearly  forty  years.  Beneath  the  shadow  of  the 
old  church  her  remains  lie  buried  along  with  those  of  a  great  number 
of  her  descendants.  It  may  be  safely  asserted  that  from  this  sainted 
lady  the  Church  has  had  as  many  adherents  botji  clerical  and  lay, 
as  have  ever  sprung  from  one  stock  in  the  same  length  of  time.  With 
the  aid  of  one  of  her  granddaughters,  I  have  counted  up  twenty-four 
clergymen  of  the  Episcopal  Church  among  her  descendants.  When 
during  the  war  the  vestrymen  were  unable  to  raise  the  minister's  sal- 
ary, a  daughter  of  hers  sent  them  word  that  she  would  guarantee 
it  personally. 

Among  those  ministers  furnished  by  this  parish.  Bishop  Meade 
mentions  the  Rev.  W.  N.  Pendleton,  Washington  Nelson,  Robert 
Nelson  and  Farley  Berkeley.  To  these  may  be  added  the  names  of 
the  Rev.  G.  W.  Nelson,  late  rector  at  Warrenton,  and  the  Rev.  Frank 
Page,  of  Brooklyn. 

It  was  to  this  parish,  and  to  the  home  of  Dr.  Carter  Berkeley  that 
Bishop  Meade  came  to  choose  his  second  wife,  Thomasia  Nelson,  step- 
daughter of  Dr.  Berkeley.     She,  too,  is  buried  at  the  Old  Fork  church. 

To  the  neighborhood  of  this  old  church  cam^  Lewis  Minor  Coleman, 
with  his  Hanover  Academy  and  his  influence  for  good  hardly  second 
to  that  of  Dr.  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  which  school  and  influence  were 
well  maintained  by  his  successor.  Colonel  Hilary  P.  .lones,  who  had. 
however,  to  yield  to  the  inevitable,  and  this  great  school  is  now  but 
a  memory. 

The  picture  of  this  old  church  will  recall  many  recollections  to  the 
former  students  at  Hanover  Academy,  many  of  whose  names  may  now 
be  found  on  the  backs  or  seats  of  the  solid  heart-pine  pews. 


193 

In  the  early  part  of  the  last  century  that  demon  of  architecture, 
which  Mr.  Jefferson  said  had  spread  its  maledictions  over  the  land, 
broke  loose,  and  the  high-backed  pews  were  taken  out,  and  the  pulpit 
which  had  been  at  the  side  of  the  church,  was  put  at  the  end. 

An  old  Bible  in  the  parish,  that  of  the  Fontaines,  shows  that  in  1787 
the  Rev.  Robert  Barrett  was  in  charge.  It  was  he  of  whom  Bishop 
Meade  (Vol.  II.,  p.  43)  says  he  received  320  pounds  of  tobacco  for  each 
sermon  preached  in  Louisia  county,  where  he  preached  twenty-four 
times  a  year  during  days  of  labor. 

The  list  of  clergy  who  have  ministered  in  the  parish  since  Mr. 
Barrett  includes  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Peter  Nelson,  who  became  a  Baptist; 
Boggs,  Phillips,  Wydown,  Cooke,  Bowers,  Stringfellow,  Isaac  Gibson, 
Wm.  A.  Alrich  (whose  first  wife,  a  lovely  woman,  the  sister  of  James 
M.  Love,  Esq.,  of  Fairfax  county,  lies  buried  at  the  Fork  church), 
R.  Douglas  Roller.  Edward  S.  Gregory,  R.  Roane  Claiborne,  Curtis 
Grubb,  Anselem  Buchanan,  S.  S.  Hepburn  and  Alexander  Gait.  To  all 
these  godly  men  the  parish  and  this  church  are  greatly  indebted.  Per- 
haps to  Mrs.  Hepburn  more  than  any  other  person  is  due  the  present 
excellent  condition  of  the  Fork  church,  and  the  grounds  surrounding  it. 
The  present  wardens  of  the  church  are  Nathaniel  Burwell  Cooke 
and  Joseph  F.  Grubb. 

Within  the  last  few  years  two  funds  of  $3,000  and  $200,  respectively, 
have  been  established  for  the  benefit  of  the  church,  the  larger  fund 
subject  only  to  the  maintenance  of  the  Nelson-Page  burying  ground. 
Bishop  Meade  gives  the  list  of  the  true  friends  of  religion  and  of  the 
Episcopal  Church  in  the  parish  as  Fontaines,  Nelsons,  Morrises, 
Wickhams,  Taylors,  Winstons,  Pollards,  Robinsons,  Pages.,  Prices, 
Shepherds,  having  already  mentioned  the  Berkeley  family,  and  made 
note  of  Dr.  Carter  Berkeley,  "whose  name  may  be  so  often  seen  on 
the  Convention  journals  of  the  last  and  present  century." 

Among  the  names  on  the  vestry  since  Bishop  Meade's  time,  in  ad- 
dition to  those  mentioned  by  him,  many  of  whom  are  related  to  those 
so  mentioned,  are  Minor,  Noland,  Fleming.  Hunter,  Jones,  Cooke,  Dos- 
well,  Terrell,  Thompson,  Grubb  and  Duke.  There  are  many  other 
families  about  the  church  whose  love  and  affection  for  it  are  exhibited 
in  the  fact  that  though  members  of  other  churches,  their  attendance 
is  regular,  their  aid  efficient  and  their  pride  in  the  old  church  as 
marked  as  if  they  were  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  Thither 
they  bring  their  dead  to  be  buried,  and  often  their  young  people  to 
enter  this  old  church  of  their  forefathers. 


194 

The  only  monument  inside  the  church  is  a  beautiful  tablet  to  three 
of  its  faithful  sons: 

"The  Rev.  Robert  Nelson,  Missionary  to  China  during  thirty  ytars — 
of  whom  it  is  alleged,  'He  followed  the  Holy  doctrine  which  he  taught^ 
comforting  many.'  " 

"William  Nelson,  late  Colonel  of  Artillery  C.  S.  A.,  who  in  this 
parish  served  God  and  helped  his  fellowmen  for  over  sixty  years." 

"John  Page,  late  Major  C.  S.  A.  who  in  this  parish  through  a  long 
and  honorable  life  did  his  duty  to  God  and  his  neighbor." 

On  the  outside  of  the  church  lie  buried  many  of  those  already 
mentioned  and  not  mentioned.  Among  the  latter  may  be  named 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Charles  Williams  Dabney,  whose  names  are 
honorably  associated  with  the  history  of  the  county  and  paris."  and 
over  whose  remains  a  handsome  monument  has  been  erected  liy  their 
children. 

A  strong  iron  fence  surrounds  the  church  grounds,  and  this  noble  old 
church,  with  its  massive  walls  and  slate  roof,  bids  fair  to  stand  for 
generations  as  a  lasting  monument  to  the  zeal  and  good  taste  of  its 
builders.  That  its  history  should  be  lost  is  a  great  misfortune.  It 
is,  indeed,  one  of  the  pathetic  things  about  our  Church's  past,  no  less 
than  about  many  of  the  cherished  possessions  of  our  State,  that  any 
adequate  history  thereof  is  entirely  lacking.  Nineveh  and  Karnac 
are  hardly  less  known. 


ST.   MARY'S  WHITE  CHAPEL,  LANCASTER 
COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

liY    MRS.   ELIZMJI'TXi   LKWIS   AEALE. 

^^Tp^HE  earliest  records  of  Lancaster  County  Parish,  wlien  Lancaster 

and  Middlesex  were  one,  go  back  to  1650.     In  that  year  the  court 

}\       appointed  Rev.  Samuel  Cole  the  minister  of  the  whole  county, 

on  both  sides  of  the  Rappahannock  river.  This  minister's  name 

appears  on  a  Vestry  Book  of  Middlesex  county,  Va.,  in  1664.     The  court 

also  appointed  church  wardens  and  sidemen,  as  in  the  English  Church, 

for  each  side  of  the  river;   they  were  John  Taylor,  William  Chapman, 

John   Merryman,    Edmund   Lurin,   George   Kibble  and   William    Leech. 

Other  names  on  the  record  are  Thomas  and  Cuthbert  Powell,  Edward 

Digges,  William  Berkeley,  Robert  Chowning,  Henry  Corbin,  David  Fox 

and  John  Washington,  of  Westmoreland  county. 

In  the  year  1661  a  general  vestry  was  formed,  and  John  Carter, 
Henry  Corbin,  David  Fox  and  William  Leech  were  appointed,  from 
both  sides  of  the  river,  to  take  up  subscriptions  for  the  support  of 
a  minister.  Many  of  our  county  records  and  the  Vestry  Book  of  St. 
Mary's  and  Christ  churches  were  destroyed  during  the  war  "between 
the  States,"  and  we  find  no  one  who  can  tell  us  just  the  year  old  St. 
Mary's  White  Chapel  was  built;  but  of  this  we  are  sure,  that  it  was 
sometime  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century.  This  is  assured  by 
dates  on  the  Communion  plate,  still  in  the  church,  and  on  tombstones 
to  be  found  in  a  good  state  of  preservation  in  the  churchyard.  Bishop 
Meade,  from  whom  notes  are  herein  taken,  states  in  his  book  of  "Old 
Churches,  Ministers  and  Families  of  Virginia/'  that  "the  first  church 
was  torn  down  and  the  present  one  built  in  1740."  One  might  infer  from 
this  that  the  whole  church  "was  torn  down,"  which  was  not  the  case 
at  all.  It  was  first  built,  like  her  contemporary.  Old  Christ  church, 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  county  (or  rather  Old  Christ  was  built  like 
St.  Mary's,  for  we  are  assured  that  St.  Mary's  is  the  older)  in  the  form 
of  a  cross,  with  three  galleries,  one  owned  by  Major  James  Ball  and 
Mr.  Joseph  Ball;  one  by  the  Downmans,  of  Belle  Isle,  and  one  was  for 
the  slaves  of  the  Churchmen. 

In  1739  the  old  church  was  in  great*  need  of  a  new  roof  and  other 


196 

repaii-s,  and  the  congregation  being  at  that  time  unable  or  unwilling 
to  raise  the  large  sum  of  money  required,  determined  to 'take  down 
two  arms,  of  the  church  and  restore  the  rest.  This  was  done  in  1740, 
the  contract  being  awarded  Mr.  James  Jones.  The  structure  was  then 
made  into  an  oblong  square,  60  feet  long,  30  feet  broad,  walls  24  feet 
to  roof,  which  has  an  oval  ceiling.  The  pulpit  is  in  one  end  of  the 
long  aisle,  facing  the  south  door,  over  which  is  the  one  remaining 
gallery.  In  the  center  of  the  long  aisle  is  a  broader  one  leading  to 
the  double  doors  facing  the  west,  towards  the  county  road,  which  is 
the  main  entrance.  These  doors  are  fastened  now,  as  in  olden  time, 
by  an  iron  thumb  latch. 

The  high  pews  and  the  pulpit,  which  had  a  stairway  leading  up  to 
it,  with  a  banister  rail,  were  allowed  to  stand  until  prior  to  the  Civil 
War,  in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  the  pews  were  cut 
down,  the  high  pulpit  not  being  removed  until  1882.  In  that  year  the 
old  tablets  were  brought  down  from  the  gallery,  where  they  had  been 
laid  in  the  dust,  and  restored  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  dollars.  Rev. 
H.  L.  Derby,  then  rector  of  the  parish,  was  very  active  in  having 
this  done.  They  are  four  in  number.  Two  contain  the  Ten  Command- 
ments and  were  the  gift  of  David  Fox  in  1702.  The  other  two  were 
given  by  his  son,  William  Fox,  and  contain  the  Apostles'  Creed  and 
the  Lord's  Prayer.  There  is  no  date  inscribed  on  these,  but  they  were 
given  in  1717,  as  shown  by  the  will  of  Captain  William  Fox,  dated 
1717,  and  in  which  he  directed:  "My  wife  shall  send  for  the  Lord's 
Prayer  and  Creed,  well  drawn  in  gold  letters,  and  my  name  under 
each  of  them,  set  in  decent  black  frames,  as  a  gift  to  St.  Mary's 
White  Chapel";  and  he  also  left  by  his  will  to  that  church  "the 
font  that  came  in  that  year."  That  the  wife  carried  out  the  will  to  the 
letter  is  proven  by  the  tablets  and  font  in  the  church,  in  splendid 
preservation  to  this  day.  The  tablets  are  of  solid  walnut  wood  and  the 
letters  are  hand-carved,  cut  in,  and  heavily  gilded  in  gold  gilt.  They 
are  oval  at  the  top,  with  the  square  base,  in  keeping  with  the  deep- 
seated  windows  and  oval  ceiling.  The  font,  of  unpolished  marble, 
stands  on  a  square  base,  which  is  exceedingly  heavy,  from  which  a 
round  marble  pedestal  supports  on  its  top  the  very  large,  round  marble 
basin,  all  of  which  stands  four  feet  six  inches.  The  chalice  is  a 
solid  silver  goblet  inscribed:   "The  gift  of  David  Fox,  1669." 

George  Spencer,  by  his  will,  dated  March  23,  1691,  gave  twenty 
pounds  sterling  for  a  piece  of  communion  plate  for  St.  Mary's  White 
■Chapel,  and  also  a  "Curpice."     The  only  other  piece  of  silver  in  pos- 


197 

session  of  the  church  is  a  small  silver  salver,  which  is  used  with  the 
goblet.  It  is.  much  worn  by  age  and  has  no  inscription  or  date,  but 
we  suppose  that  it  is  "that  piece  of  plate." 

The  old  Bible  was  given  by  Rawleigh  Downman,  of  Belle  Isle,  in 
1838.  The  beautiful  circular  Communion  railing  remains  as  in  olden 
days,  but  the  brick  aisles  have  been  planked  and  carpeted,  as  has  the 
chancel,  and  fitted  up  with  modern  furniture.  The  old  Communion 
table  is  still  in  the  vestry  room.  It  once  stood  in  the  chancel, 
and  was  covered  with  a  green  velvet  cover  with  a  gilt  fringe, 
and  in  the  center  was  the  Ball  coat-of-arms  in  bas-relief  and  done  in 
gilt.  This  was  sold  years  ago  to  one  of  the  Downmans,  whose  mater- 
nal ancestor  was  a  Ball. 

In  the  churchyard  are  a  number  of  old  tombs  of  massive  marble, 
bearing  dates  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries.  Nearly  all 
of  the  oldest  are  inscribed  with  the  name  of  Ball.  The  first  is  David 
Ball,  seventh  son  of  William  Ball,  born  1686;  some  of  the  others  are 
Mildred  Ball,  Juduthum  Ball,  Mary  Ann  Ball,  daughter  of  Rev.  John 
Bertrand,  Jesse  Ball,  Mary  Ball,  daughter  of  Edwin  Conway,  and  James 
Ball,  her  husband;  Fanny,  daughter  of  Rawleigh  Downman,  of  Lettuce, 
third  wife  of  James  Ball  and  daughter  of  Richard  Lee,  of  Ditchley. 

These  names  show  that  this  church  counted  among  her  numbers 
names  of  the  old  Virginia  aristocrats  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries.  Among  the  Churchmen  of  the  eighteenth  century  we  will 
mention  Chinn,  Downman,  Carter,  Ball,  Mitchell,  Lee,  Lewis,  Bwell, 
McCarty,  Towles,  Chowning,  Sneade,  Pierce,  Robinson  and  Chilton. 
The  ministers  were  Rev.  Samuel  Cole,  died  1659;  Revs.  William  White 
and  Benjamin  Doggett,  died  1682;  John  Bertrand,  died  1701  (he  was  a 
Huguenot,  is  buried  at  Belle  Isle,  and  counted  among  his  descendants 
Judge  Cyrus  Griffith,  last  president  of  the  Continental  Congress) ; 
Andrew  Jackson,  died  1710;  John  Bell,  died,  1743;  David  Currie,  died 
1792;  David  Ball,  died  1791.  Then  followed  Leland,  Page,  McNorton, 
Low,  1832;  Ephraim  Adams,  1838;  Francis  McGuire,  1839;  Rev.  Bryant, 
1844;  Rev.  Richmond,  1850;  Rev.  Nash,  1853;  Rev.  Edmund  Withers. 
These  were  followed  by  Revs.  George  May,  H.  L.  Derby,  B.  B.  Burwell, 
Mr.  Micou  and  the  present  rector.  Rev.  L.  R.  Combs. 

In  the  corner  of  the  churchyard  is  an  old  slab,  flat  on  the  ground 
and  much  broken,  inscribed:  "To  Rev.  Jno.  Stritchley,  born  1669." 
Then  follows  a  long  illegible  inscription.  We  have  no  record  of  his 
having  served  the  church.  Col.  William  Ball,  who  came  to  this  county 
from  England  in  1650,  settled  at  the  mouth  of  the  Corrotoman  River, 


198 

bringing  his  family.  He  died  in  1GC9,  leaving  two  sons  and  one 
daughter,  Hannah,  who  married  Daniel  Fox.  William  left  -eight  sons. 
Joseph  left  no  male  issue,  but  General  George  Washington  is  his 
grandson  by  his  youngest  daughter,  Mary.  Mary  Ball,  grandmother 
of  Washington,  lies  buried  at  "Epping  Forest,"  five  miles  from  the 
church,  and  a  handsome  oil  picture  of  her  adorns  the  walls  of  the 
court-room  at  Lancaster,  the  county  seat.  None  of  Col.  William  Ball's 
children  are  buried  at  the  church,  but  his  grandchildren  and  their  de- 
scendants. Joseph  Ball  married  a  Miss  Ravenscroft,  of  England,  and 
settled  in  London.  He  was  brother  of  Mary  Ball,  who  was  the  mother 
of  Washington.  His  only  daughter,  Fannie,  married  Raleigh  Down- 
man  in  1750.  Her  children  were  Joseph  Ball  Downman,  of  Morattico; 
Fannie,  who  married  Col.  James  Ball,  of  Beaudley,  and  Mr.  Raleigh 
Downman,  of  Belle  Isle. 

Mr.  Joseph  Ball  wrote  to  his  nephew,  George  Washington,  after 
Braddock's  defeat,  the  following  letter: 

"Stratford,.  5th   of   Sept.,  1755. 

"It  is  a  sensible  pleasure  to  me  to  hear  that  you  have  behaved  with 
such  a  martial  spirit,  in  all  your  engagements  with  the  French,  nigh 
Ohio.  Go  on  as  you  have  begun,  and  God  prosper  you.  We  have  heard 
of  Gen.  Braddock's  defeat.  Everybody  blames  his  rash  conduct.  Every- 
body commends  the  courage  of  the  Virginians  and  Carolina  men,  which 
is  very  agreeable  to  me.  I  desire  you,  as  you  may  have  opportunity, 
to  give  me  a  short  account  how  you  proceed.  I  am  your  mother's 
brother.  I  hope  you  will  not  deny  my  request.  I  heartily  wish  you 
good  success,  and  am 

"Your  loving  uncle, 

"Joseph  Ball. 

"To  Major  George  Washington,  at  the  Falls  of  Rappahannock,  or 
elsewhere  in  Virginia. 

"Please  direct  me  at  Stratford-by-Bow,  nigh  London." 

Unlike  most  Colonial  churches,  St.  Mary's  did  not  suffer  by  the  depre- 
dation of  troops  during  the  war  1861-5.  The  Federal  gunboats  came 
up  the  Rappahanock  river,  near  where  the  church  is  located,  and  threw 
boml)  shells  over  and  around,  cutting  off  the  tree  tops,  but  did  not  hit 
the  church.  A  company  of  the  Ninth  Virginia  Calvary,  C.  S.  A.,  were 
stationed  at  the  church  for  a  few  months  in  1861,  and  had  tents  all 
around  the  church.  Col.  Merriwether  Lewis  was  then  captain,  with 
Mr.  Robert  Tunstall  Pierce  as  first  lieutenant,  and  James  K.  Ball,  of 


199 

Beaudley,  as  second  lieutenant.  The  three  are  to-day  "sleeping"  near 
each  other  in  the  churchyard,  resting  "on  the  old  camp  ground,"  and 
€ach  has  a  monument  to  show  the  reverence  and  love  the  living  bear  to 
the  honored  dead. 

In  1880  the  church  ladies  organized  a  society  called  "The  Bee  Hive," 
and  since  that  time  have  raised  nearly  a  thousand  dollars,  which  has 
been  spent  on  the  church.  To-day  both  the  interior  and  exterior  pre- 
sent a  neat  and  comfortable  appearance,  and  to  "the  faithful  few"  who 
^worship  within  her  walLs.  she  seems 

"A  spot  of  earth  supremely  blest, 
Dearer,  more  sacred  than  all  the  rest." 


ABINGDON    CHURCH.    GLOUCESTER    COUNTY. 

VIRGINIA. 


BY   THE  REV.   WILLIAM   BYRD   I-EE.   RECTOR. 


66^ 


l=;\  HE  history  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  Virginia  has  been, 
from  the  very  beginning,  a  most  interesting  and  eventful 
J_j^  one  beyond  that  of  any  other  diocese  in  the  Union." 
We  refer  the  reader  to  Bishop  Meade's  "Old  Churches  and 
Families  .  of  Virginia,"  from  which  the  foregoing  quotation  is 
made.  In  attempting  to  write  articles  on  Ware  and  Abingdon 
Parishes  and  their  churches,  I  am  embarrassed  by  finding  the 
county  and  church  records  almost  wholly  destroyed  up  to  the  year 
1830.  Many  valuable  documents  were  burned  at  Jamestown  in 
167G,  when  Nathaniel  Bacon  kindled  the  first  fires  of  rebellion  in 
th'e  Colony.  Again  at  Williamsburg,  in  1776— th'e  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution— many  precious  documents  were  consumed  by  fire.  In  1820 
the  clerk's  office  at  Botetourt,  which  is  now  called  Gloucester,  the 
county's  old  seat,  was  burned  with  its  contents.  A  further  fire  at  Rich- 
mond, on  April  2,  1865,  destroyed  all  of  Gloucester  county  records.  As 
a  precautionary  step,  Gloucester  being  in  the  lines  of  the  enemy,  the 
records  had  been  carried  to  Richmond.  A  mutilated  register  of  Abing- 
don Parish,  from  1677  to  1761,  and  a  like  uninjured  vestry  book  of 
Petsworth  Parish,  in  that  county,  is  all  that  remains  from  the  fires 
prior  to  and  including  that  of  1820.  From  these  old  books  and  other 
fragments  of  history  we  get  a  dim  light  of  Colonial  Church  work  in 
Gloucester,  telling  what  our  fathers  did  to  perpetuate  the  religion  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  Church  of  England  received  and  planted 
it  in  America. 

In  the  absence  of  her  burned  and  loyi  records,  Gloucester  points  to 
the  names  and  history  of  her  families,  to  the  character  of  their  homes 
and  family  graveyards,  to  the  remaining  Colonial  churches.  Al)ingdon 
and  Ware,  and  to  remnants  of  foundations  where  Kingston  and  Pets- 
worth  churches  and  earlier  old  chapels  stood  when  the  State  was 
almost  a  solid  forest.  These  are  monuments  to  the  culture  and  piety 
of  her  people. 

In  1008  Capt.  John  Smith,  with  his  hirdy  followers,  first  visited  what 
is   now   Gloucester   county.      It   is   here    Pocahontas   saved    the   life   of 


201 

Smith.  Here  also  our  forefathers  in  the  Church  found  the  first  fruits 
unto  Christianity  among  the  Indians,  in  the  person  of  Pocahontas,  the 
daugliter  of  the  Indian  Iving.  Her  numerous  offspring  in  Virginia  and 
elsewhere  occupy  positions  high  in  Church  and  State,  and  trace  their 
ancestry  beyond  Jamestown  even  to  Gloucester,  when  it  was  the  seat 
of  an  Indian  empire. 

Weworocomico,  the  chief  home  of  Powhatan,  is  distinctly  lo- 
cated on  the  map  of  Captain  John  Smith,  and  also  on  the  map  of 
Tyndall,  fixing  the  locality  on  Purton  bay,  York  river,  as  the  spot 
where  Pocahontas  saved  the  life  of  Smith. 

In  the  food  borne  from  Gloucester  oy  Smith  to  the  starving  people 
at  Jamestown,  this  county  became,  as  it  were,  a  foster-mother  to  the 
stricken  colony 

Gloucester  lies  on  the  north  side  of  York  river,  about  fifteen  miles 
from  Jamestown.  York  river  and  York  county  were  first  called  Pa- 
munkey  river  and  Pamunkey  shire.  Afterwards  they  bore  the  name  of 
Charles  river  and  Charles  shire.  (One  of  the  original  eight  shires 
mentioned  in  Hen.  Stat.,  Vol.  I.,  page  224.) 

In  like  manner  the  county  bordering  on  the  north  side  of  York  river, 
being  once  a  part  of  York  county,  shared  the  names  successively  Pa- 
munkey shire,  Charles  River  shire,  York  county;  and  finally  Glouces- 
ter. I  mention  these  changes  of  names,  which  together  with  land 
grants,  to  be  referred  to,  will  throw  light  upon  the  genesis  of  Glouces- 
ter county  and  her  parishes. 

What  is  now  called  Gloucester  Point,  just  across  the  York  river  from 
Yorktown,  was  first  called  Tyndall's  Point.  Subsequently  it  was  called 
Gloucester  Town,  which  name  it  bore  up  to  about  1850.  Like  York- 
town,  it  has  an  imperishable  history.  Gloucester  county  was  cut  out 
of  York  county  about  1651.  Land  grants  were  located  in  York  county 
on  the  north  side  of  York  river  until  April,  1651.  (See  York  County 
Land  Book.)  Prior  to  this  date,  between  1630  and  1644,  a  considerable 
white  population  had  settled  on  the  north  side  of  York  river.  In  the 
absence  of  history  to  the  contrary,  it  is  probable  that  public  worship  of 
God  was  first  conducted  in  Gloucester  at  Tyndall's  Point.  "When  the 
geographical  and  other  advantages  of  Gloucester  became  known  to  the 
English  settlers,  they  were  eager  to  avail  themselves  of  them.  The 
unusual  extent  and  nature  of  its  water  front,  the  enduring  wealth  of  its 
land,  and  the  mild,  salubrious  climate  have  been  well  and  long  known. 
King  Powhatan  showed  his  wisdom  by  making  his  permanent  home 
there.     It  was  at  a  strategic  locality. 


202 

A  study  of  the  long  Gloucester  water  front  and  country  back  of 
Gloucester  town,  and  also  up  and  down  York  river  shores  develop  some 
very  interesting  features  and  history  that,  very  likely,  controlled  the 
direction  of  the  first  farmers'  settlements  outside  of  Gloucester  town. 
The  "War  Path,"  or  "Indian  Road,"  well  known  in  Gloucester,  crossed 
York  river  at  Page  Rock,  in  order  to  reach  the  "Indian  Field,"  the  red- 
man's  settlement  in  York  county.  The  "War  Path"  also  ran  northward 
from  Shelly,  in  Gloucester,  passing  to  the  west  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  present  site  of  Abingdon  church,  and  on  to  within  half  a  mile  of 
where  Ware  church  now  stands;  then  onward  to  the  Piankitank  and 
Rappahannock  rivers. 

Shelly,  about  eight  miles  above  Gloucester  town,  is  noted  for  the 
great  bank  of  oyster  shells  left  there  from  Indian  feasts  in  the  long 
past.  Timber  Neck  and  Carter's  Creek  plantations  are  both  close  to 
Shelly,  and  like  the  latter  place  their  waters  are  celebrated  for  oysters 
that  could  be  easily  taken  and  were  abundant.  The  Indian  needed 
shallow,  quiet  waters  for  oyster  gathering.  The  .red  warrior  would  be 
slow  to  give  up  these  delightful  haunts  of  his  ancestors,  and  to  aban- 
don the  "war  trail"  that  led  to  his  neighbors'  wigwams,  south  and 
north,  in  the  kingdom  of  Powhatan.  The  ruins  of  what  is  known  as 
Powhatan's  chimney,  on  the  east  side  of  Timber  Neck  creek,  and  addi- 
tional oyster  shell  mounds  on  the  west  side  of  Carter's  creek,  at  Rose- 
well,  indicate  a  long-standing  and  large  Indian  settlement  upon  these 
waters.  Therefore  it  is  not  probable  that  the  first  settlers  on  Glouces- 
ter shores  spread  up  the  river.  What  is  more  likely,  they  settled  east- 
ward, on  the  shore  line  of  York  river  and  along  Sarah's  creek,  and  an 
arm  of  this  river  close  to  Gloucester  town.  Guinea,  a  very  favorably 
protected  peninsula  about  five  miles  long,  is  surrounded  by  wide  waters 
on  three  sides,  north,  south  and  east.  The  west  side  is  partly  cov- 
ered by  Sarah's  creek.  This  neck,  cut  off  from  the  Indians,  offered  ex- 
cellent pasturage  all  the  year  long  on  its  extensive  marshes  for  horse?, 
cattle  and  hogs  of  the  whites.  The  pines,  wild  myrtle  and  horse 
bushes  protected  the  stock  in  bad  weather.  This  peninsula,  unique  in 
its  location  and  advantages,  was  doubtless,  with  Tyndall's  Point,  the 
earliest  section  of  Gloucester  settled  by  the  whites.  With  few  excep- 
tions it  has  been  the  home  of  small  farmers  and  fishermen.  Ministers 
located  in  Kiskyacke  Parish  likely  visited  and  administered  to  these 
hardy  citizens,  as  Tyndall's  Point  was  at  first  in  that  parish. 

Abingdon  church  Colonial  register  preserves  the  names  of  many  fam- 


203 

ilies  that  have  lived  in  Guinea  since  1677.  Her  people  were  among 
the  earliest  worshippers  at  Tyndall's  Point  and  at  Abingdon,  and  they 
probably  came  to  church  in  their  boats  and  a-foot  in  the  early  days. 
Later  on  the  better  conditioned  drove  in  the  carryall,  sulky  and  stick- 
gig.  The  bodies  of  many  of  them  sleep  in  Abingdon  churchyard,  leav- 
ing the  story  told  of  the  mother  church  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people. 

Water  courses  and  the  divides  of  water-sheds  most  frequently  mark 
the  metes  and  bounds  of  State,  county  and  parish.  As  the  white  set- 
tlements advanced  into  the  interior,  county  and  parish  areas,  under 
the  multiplication  of  settlers,  became  more  contracted  and  defined. 
The  changes  that  Gloucester  Parish  lines  underwent,  in  over  two  hun- 
dred years,  it  is  impossible  to  follow  clearly.  Settlers  had  moved  into 
what  is  now  Gloucester  county  before  the  second  attempted  Indian 
massacre  of  1644.  In  making  this  second  attack  the  Indians  were  mind- 
ful of  the  struggle  between  the  Roundheads  and  King  Charles  I.,  and 
took  advantage  of  the  disturbed  state  of  affairs.  (See  Smithey's  Hist, 
of  Va.,  page  68.)  From  1640  to  1650  was  a  most  trying  period  to  the 
settlers  in  what  is  now  Gloucester  county,  and  doubtless  had  a  retard- 
ing influence  upon  the  Church  development.  Settlers  were  summoned 
by  the  Burgesses  to  return  to  the  south  side  of  York  river.  After  this 
the  country  north  of  the  York  and  on  the  Rappahannock  was  not  open 
for  settlement  until  September  1,  1649.  (See  Acts  of  House  of  Bur- 
gesses, Hen.  Stat.,  Vol.  I.) 

AS  early  as  1623  the  House  of  Burgesses  oraered,  "There  shall  be  in 
every  plantation  where  the  people  meet  for  the  worship  of  God,  a  house 
or  room  sequestered  for  that  purpose."  A  court  was  held  in  York  coun- 
ty in  a  private  home,  before  a  courthouse  was  built,  so  we  may  conclude 
the  same  people  habitually  assembled  in  private  houses  for  worship  of 
God  before  a  church  could  be  built. 

There  was  a  place  of  worship  at  "Temple  Farm,"  about  two  miles 
below  (east)  Yorktown.  Doubtless  hardy  spirits,  seeking  God  at  that 
time,  from  Gloucester  town  crossed  the  wide,  boisterous  river,  with  its 
sweeping  tides,  to  worship  at  the  locality  where,  over  one  hundred 
years  later.  Lord  Cornwallis  was  to  ask  terms  of  surrender  for  his 
"red  coats." 

The  plantations  were  at  first  all  on  the  river  (or  bay)  shore.  Farms 
were  patches  cut  out  among  the  trees.  Communication  was  mostly  by 
boat.  (See  Men,  Women  and  Manners,  Fisher,  Vol.  I.)  It  is  then 
not  surprising  (Gloucester  abounding  in  rivers)  that  in  1648  (See  Hen. 


204 

Hist.,  Vol.  I,  page  353),  the  settlers  petitioned  the  House  of  Burgesses 
to  allow  them  to  return  to  Gloucester. 

Having  called  attention  to  the  direction  in  which  the  settlers  of 
Gloucester,  seeking  best  natural  living  advantages  and  greater  security 
from  the  Indians,  I  think  the  chosen  locality  for  a  chapel  or  church 
would  be  at  Gloucester  town  or  near  it,  and  overlooking  the  placid 
waters  of  Sarah's  creek. 

Charles  I.  was  beheaded  in  1G49.  With  his  downfall  many  Cavaliers 
flocked  to  Virginia  and  not  a  few  settled  in  Gloucester.  Three  years 
later — November,  1652 — Gloucester  for  the  first  time  appears  as  a 
county  of  the  Colony,  represented  in  the  House  of  Burgesses  by  Col. 
Hughe  Gwynn  and  Mr.  Francis  Willis.  (See  Hen.  Stat.,  Vol.  I.,  page 
371.) 

Having  no  church  records  as  to  when  the  Gloucester  Parishes  of 
Abingdon,  Ware,  Petsworth  and  Kingston  (the  latter  now  in  Mathews 
county)  were  formed,  I  turn  to  the  Gloucester  book  of  Land  Grants. 
There  I  find  a  grant  to  one  John  Chapman  for  four  hundred  acres  of 
lard  in  Kingston  Parish  in  1657.  Grants  wore  located  in  Petsworth, 
Abingdon  and  Ware  Parishes  in  1665  and  1666.  There  Is  nothing  m 
the  York  records  about  these  parishes.  I  think  they  were  established 
about  1652,  because  Gloucester  being  nearer  Williamsburg  than  Lan- 
castei'  county,  where  court  records  repoited  two  parishes  in  1654,  one 
of  them  bordering  Gloucester  on  the  north.* 

Abingdon  Parish  lies  in  the  southeastern  part  of  Gloucester  county, 
fronting  on  York  river  and  Mobjack  bay.  It  is  bounded  on  the  north 
and  west  by  Ware  and  Petsworth  Parishes.  The  area  is  between  thirty 
and  forty  miles  in  circumference.  The  church  stands  in  a  walnut 
grove  near  the  road  leading  from  Gloucester  Courthouse  to  Gloucester 
Point,   and   is  six  miles   from   the   latter.     This   is   the   second   known 


*  A  most  interesting  document  has  been  called  to  light  hy  the  above 
article,  from  among  papers  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Robert  R.  Thurston, 
who  has  shown  me  a  patent  to  Francis  Ceely  for  600  acres  of  land  in 
Abingdon  Parish,  dated  March  2d,  1648,  signed  by  "William  Borke- 
lev."  This  pajier  carries  the  parish  four  years  back  of  the  earliest 
date,  16.52,  given  in  the  above  article.  As  it  was  a  parish  in  164S.  it  is 
most  probable  it  was  established  before  the  massacre  of  1644.  It 
mav  have  been  formed  as  early  as  1642,  when  Kiskiacke,  or  Chescake 
Parish,  was  changed  to  Hamilton  Parish.  Notwithstanding  the  silence 
of  the  York  county  Land  Books  on  the  subject,  it  is  evident  from  the 
fore-mentioned  paper  that  "Abingdon"  Parish  was  first  a  part  of  York 
?ountv.  It  mav  then  have  embraced  the  territory  of  Ware.  Petsworth 
and  Kingston  i>arishes,  or  they  ma\-  have  been  cotemporaneons  with 
it.  I  trust  these  articles  will  call  forth  more  light  upon  the  liistory 
of  the   i)arishe.s. 


205 

church  at  this  place.  The  foundations  of  the  first  church,  close  beside 
the  present  building,  show  that  it  was  much  smaller  than  is  the  church 
now  in  use.  This  first  building,  which  the  Rev.  Charles  Mann  said 
"had  been  enlarged,"  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  in  early  days  of 
this  parish,  and  upon  ground  donated  by  Augustine  Warner. 

The  foundations  of  an  old  wall  that  enclosed  the  Warner  gift  of  half 
an  acre  of  land  for  this  church  and  cemetery  in  which  the  church 
stood,  are  still  to  be  traced.  This  cemetery  was  enlarged  in  Colonial 
days  and  enclosed  by  an  excellent  brick  walk.  The  sight  of  these  an- 
cient ruins  should  awaken  profound  interest  in  every  true-hearted 
American.  Here  Mildred  Warner,  daughter  of  Col.  Augustine  Warner, 
must  have  worshipped  and  received  her  early  religious  training.  She 
married  Lawrence  Washington,  of  Westmoreland  county,  Virginia, 
and  was  the  grandmother  of  George  Wishington. 

This  church  was  used  about  one  hundred  years,  when  it  became  un- 
safe and  steps  were  taken  to  build  the  present  beautiful  Abingdon. 

The  present  church  is  in  the  form  of  a  square  or  maltese  cross, 
Ironting  the  west,  the  main  entrance  being  at  that  end.  The  two  out- 
side faces  of  the  western  and  eastern  ends  of  the  cross  are  each  thirty- 
six  feet  wide.  The  faces  of  the  northern  and  southern  outside  ends 
of  the  arms  of  the  cross  are  each  thirty-five  feet  wide.  The  extreme 
length  of  the  building  from  west  to  east  is  eighty-one  feet.  The  ex- 
tmm.e  width  of  the  building  from  north  to  south  is  seventy-six  feet 
six  inches.  The  walls  are  two  feet  thick.  I  was  unable  to  measure  the 
height  of  walls  and  angle  of  roof,  but  both  are  in  fine  proportion  with 
the  width.  I  think  the  walls  were  built  of  brick  made  in  Gloucester 
(from  an  excavation  near  the  church),  and  according  to  the  Flemish 
bond,  and  with  glazed  heads.  The  bricks  framing  the  entrances  are 
of  different  sizes,  color  and  clay  from  those  in  the  body  of  the  church, 
sn.£?°-esting  the  probability  of  their  having  been  imported.  But  few 
biicks  were  imported  in  the  colonies. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  this  structure  was  completed  about  1755, 
and  for  these  reasons:  First,  the  late  Mrs.  Robert  C.  Selden,  of  Sher 
wood,  who  was  born  in  1S15,  and  died  April,  1906,  told  me  that  in  her 
childhood,  she  remembered  her  aged  aunt  Innis,  of  Warner  Hall,  say- 
ina.  c-.he  attended  services  in  the  first  church  when  she  was  a  little  girl; 
second,  high  in  the  church  wall  is  a  brick  which  I  have  carefully  ex- 
amined, dated  1734;  third,  the  Williamsburg  Gazette  of  February  14. 
1751,  has  the  following: 


206 

"Notice  is  hereby  given,  on  Wednesday,  27lh  day  of  this  month,  a 
vesiry  will  be  held  at  Abingdon  church,  in  the  county  of  Gloucester,  in 
ordei  to  contract  with  workmen  for  building  a  new  church  in  said 
parish." 

There  is  still  another  brick  in  the  southwest  corner  of  the  wall, 
three  feet  from  the  ground,  with  1755  neatly  cut  in  it,  which  I  think 
gives  the  date  of  its  completion.  The  high  Colonial  pulpit  stood  at  the 
southeast  re-entrant  angle  to  the  right  of  the  chancel. 

The  beautiful  pentagonal  reredos  is  accurately  described  by  Mrs. 
Fielding-  Lewis  Taylor,  as  follows: 

"It  represents  the  facade  of  a  Greek  temple  in  the  bas-relief,  about 
twenty  fi'i-t  in  height  and  extending  entirely  across  the  back  of  the 
chancel,  it  is  handsomely  carved  and  painted  snowy  white.  Straight 
across  the  lintel  of  the  facade  runs  the  first  line  of  the  Te  Deum,  'We 
praise  Thee,  0  God.'  The  roof  of  the  reiedos  dividing  at  the  apex,  sup- 
ports a  pineapple,  both  in  high  relief.  Between  the  four  fluted  pilas- 
ters of  the  reredos  are  set  four  long  black  tablets,'  framed  and  lettered 
in  gold.  These  contain  the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten 
Commandments.  Alas!  the  breath  of  time  has  dimmed  the  beautiful 
words.  The  light  from  the  great  arched  windows  (in  the  head  of  the 
cruciform  building,  on  either  side  of  the  chancel)  shines  full  upon 
these  four  foundation  pillars  of  the  Faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints. 
The  effect  of  the  whole  is  simple,  but  beautiful,  full  of  deep  spiritual 
earnestness."  Above  the  apex  of  the  reredos  is  a  gilt  cross  painted  on 
glass. 

Abingdon  church,  within  and  without,  is  exceedingly  impressive  and 
beautiful.  The  main  and  cross  aisles  were  formerly  laid  in  flagstones, 
a  step  below  the  level  of  the  pew  floors.  They  were  probably  imported. 
The  pews  were  large  and  with  high  sides,  according  to  Colonial  style, 
with  benches  on  three  sides.  The  chancel  occupies  the  east  end  of  the 
cross.  There  are  galleries  in  the  arms  of  the  cross,  still  furnished  with 
the  same  high  pews.  In  early  days  the  Thruston  and  Lewis  families 
are  said  to  have  occupied  the  south  gallery,  and  the  Burwells  and 
Pages  the  north  gallery.  In  the  rear  of  these  pews  benches  were  placed 
for  servants.  Tliere  was  no  flue  nor  other  evidence,  nor  is  there  any 
tradition  that  the  church  was  heated  in  any  way.  As  far  as  I  viave 
learned,  this  condition  at  Abingdon  is  not  an  exception  in  the  first 
plan  of  Virginia  Colonial  churches.  The  fathers  brought  from  Eng- 
land the  custom  of  not  providing  the  churches  with  stoves,  but  certain 


207 

fanilies,  no  doubt,  brought  heating  boxes,  charcoal  braziers,  hot 
bricks  ana  abundant  wraps.  In  later  times  stoves  were  introduced,  in 
whicli  wood  was  burned,  the  stovepipes  passing  out  tlirough  a  per- 
forated sheet  of  tin  substituting  a  pane  of  glass.  The  stoves  were  in- 
effectual for  heating,  and  delicate  persons  were  provided  with  bricks 
heated  on  the  stove  and  wrapped  in  woollens.  Uncle  Guy,  the  old 
negro  sexton,  did  this.     A  modern  furnace  is  now  in  use. 

In  the  Colonial  section  of  the  cemetery  graves  are  so  numerous 
that  it  is  impossible  to  find  space  for  an  interment  in  unoccupied 
g'.  jund.  The  vestry  have  forbidden  the  interment  in  the  old  cemetery 
a,s  a  burying-ground.  There  are  numbers  of  sunken  stones  that  have 
no  lettering  or  dates.  There  are  three  well  preserved  tombs  with 
legible  inscriptions.  Two  of  these  have  coats-of-arms.  A  few  years 
ago  the  late  Mrs.  Robert  Colgate  Selden,  a  descendant  of  Augustine 
Warner,  gave  an  acre  of  ground  adjoining  the  cemetery,  for  enlarging 
the  graveyard.  Recently  Mr.  Joseph  Bryan  enclosed  the  whole  ceme- 
tery, about  two  and  a  half  acres,  with  a  substantial  brick  wall.  The 
tendency  to  use  the  new  section  of  the  cemetery  is  increasing. 

The  plantations  in  this  and  the  adjoining  parishes  of  Gloucester 
generally  have  family  burying-grounds.  In  the  burying-grounds  are 
handsomely  inscribed  gravestones — at  "Timber  Neck,"  "Carter's 
Cieek,"  "Rosewell,"  "Warner  Hall,"  "Wareham,"  "Toddsbury,"  "High 
Gate,"  "Violetbank,"  and  other  homes,  along  with  destroyed  Petsworth 
and  its  abandoned  churchyard.  From  these  were  gathered  some  history 
of  our  Church. 

For  many  a  holy  text  around  she  strews 
Which  teach  the  rustic  moralist  to  die. 

In  many  instances,  where  these  old  estates  have  passed  into  other 
hands,  the  family  graveyards  have  become  overgrown  with  shrubs, 
trees  and  briars. 

There  is  no  record  of  ministers  that  I  can  find  who  served  Kiskyacke 
or  York-Hampton  Parishes,  in  York  county,  when  their  lines  em 
braced  what  is  now  Abingdon  Parish,  Gloucester.  Doubtless  ministers 
from  these  parishes  served  in  private  houses  or  at  a  chapel  of  ease, 
at  or  near  Tyndall's,  now  Gloucester  Point.  Neither  can  a  list  of 
ministers  be  given  who  have  served  Abingdon  from  its  beginning  as 
a  parish  until  1674,  when  the  Rev.  John  Gwynn  removed  there  from 
Ware  Parish,  and  continued  in  charge  through  Bacon's  Rebellion  until 
1688.     (See  Couit  records.) 


208 

With  hill)  we  begin  the  list  of  knov'n  ministers  in  the  parish,  al- 
though it  is  almost  certain  one  or  more  preceded  him,  as  I  'find  from 
Dr.  Hawks'  Ecclesiastical  History  that  "in  1G59  there  were  fifty  parishes 
in  the  Colony  of  Virginia,  and  the  number  of  ministers  about  the  num- 
ber of  the  parishes." 

Since  Bishop  Meade's  day,  an  Abingdon  Parish  register,  dating  fr«m 
1677  to  1761,  has  been  found,  a  copy  of  it  has  been  made  and  placed 
with  the  Virginia  Historical  Society.  The  original  is  in  the  charge  of 
the  officers  of  Abingdon  Parish.  From  this  record  we  find  the  Rev. 
G'\v  Smith  served  the  parish  from  1702  until  his  death  in  1718.  Dur- 
ing his  ministry  the  Rev.  George  Keith,  missionary  of  the  S.  P.  G., 
preached  in  the  first  Abingdon  church,  June  13,  1703.  This  year  was 
also  no'able  as  being  the  time  that  Major  Lewis  Burwell,  of  Carter's 
Creek,  presented  the  handsome  communion  service,  still  used  in  the 
parish.  It  consists  of  a  flagon,  a  cup  and  two  patens,  engraved,  "The 
Gift  of  L.  B.  to  Abingdon  Parish."  According  to  maker's  mark,  the 
set  was  made  in  London  in  1702.  The  flagon  is  l-3i/i  inches  high  and 
81  o  across  the  base.  The  cup  is  nearly  8  inches  high  and  ^Vz  acronr. 
the  mouth.  Diameter  of  the  large  paten  is  lli/4  inches,  and  of  the 
smaller  6  inches. 

According  to  the  report  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hughes  to  the  Bishop 
of  London,  made  in  1724,  he  succeeded  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  in  1719,  and  was 
still  in  the  parish  in  1744,  when  he  baptized  a  member  of  the  Thrus- 
ton  family.  (See  Thruston  Bible.)  In  1724  Mr.  Hughes  reported 
about  300  families  in  the  parish;  that  services  were  held  every  Lord's 
Day,  Good  Friday  and  Christmas,  in  the  forenoon;  that  there  were 
sixty  or  seventy  communicants;  that  the  Holy  Communion  was  admin- 
istered three  times  a  year,  and  that  about  200  Christians  generally  at- 
tended the  church.  Mr.  Hughes  said  the  surplice  had  never  been 
used  in  the  parish.  (I  suppose  he  used  the  black  gown.)  He  reported 
his  salary  was  1,600  pounds  of  tobacco.  He  also  reported  a  glebe, 
which  he  occupied,  to  be  in  good  condition.  This  glebe  house  which  he 
mentioned  is  in  existence  in  the  limits  of  Ware  Parish,  and  is  one  of 
the  most  interesting  brick  Colonial  houses  in  the  county,  and  is  now 
owned  by  Mr.  William  S.  Robins.  The  glebe  buildings  and  lands  were 
confiscated  by  legislative  act  in  1802. 

Mr.  Hughes  also  reported  a  free  school  endowed  and  500  acres  of 
land  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  children  of  Abingdon  and  Ware  Par- 
ishes.    This  grant  was  made  by  Mr.   Henry  Peasley,  of  Robins'  Neck, 


209 

in  1675.  (See  Hen.  St.,  Vol.  VII.,  p.  441.)  Some  years  ago  this  bequest 
was  changed  by  the  Virginia  Legislature  to  benefit  the  poor  of  Glouces- 
ter county.  I  think  equity  demands  that  it  should  be  applied  accord- 
ing to  the  will  of  the  testator. 

Referring  again  to  the  Thruston  Bible,  there  being  no  reference  to 
the  Rev.  Wm.  Yates  in  the  old  Parish  Register,  I  gather  he  was  in 
charge  of  the  parish  in  1750  and  1759.  In  this  latter  year  he  became 
rector  of  Bruton  Parish  and  president  of  William  and  Mary  College. 
Reference  is  made  to  him  in  Bishop  Meade's  book  as  rector  of  Abing- 
don, though  the  printer  calls  him  "Gates." 

In  the  absence  of  other  records,  I  again  turn  to  the  Thruston  Bible, 
and  I  find  the  Rev.  Richard  Hewett  was  in  the  parish  in  1772.  The 
Rev.  William  Hubard  in  1773,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Price  in  1778,  each  of 
these  ministers  having  baptized  members  of  the  Thruston  family. 
Bishop  Meade  says  Mr.  Price  was  in  the  parish  1773,  1774,  1776.  After 
this  there  is  no  record  of  ministers  for  several  years. 

Abingdon  was  the  third  church  in  the  diocese  to  receive  an  Episco- 
pal visitation — possibly  in  the  early  part  of  1791.  (See  Bishop  Madi- 
son'?: report  to  the  Convention  of  that  year.) 

Rev.  James  Maury  Fountaine  is  said  to  have  had  charge  of  the  par- 
ish in  1784.  It  is  probable  that  about  that  time  he  preache  ^.  in  all  the 
churches  in  Gloucester.  In  April,  1791,  his  name  appears  as  presiding 
at  a  vestry  meeting  in  Petsworth  Parish.  He  was  then  unanimously 
asked  to  continue  as  "lecturer"  of  the  parish,  for  the  year  to  end  the 
eleventh  (11th)  of  April,  1792.  May  11,  1792,  he  was  again  present 
at  the  Petsworth  vestry  meeting,  and  chosen  "lecturer"  for  the  next 
twelve  months,  with  this  addition:  "Mr.  Fountaine  is  at  liberty  to  at- 
tend the  Church  of  Abingdon  at  least  three  times  a  year."  He  is  re- 
corded as  declining.  July  2d  of  the  same  year  he  wrote  to  Bishop 
Madison  from  Ware,  endorsing  Mr.  Armistead  Smith,  of  Kingston  Par- 
ish, for  holy  orders.  From  the  foregoing,  it  seems  he  served  the  three 
parishes  for  a  time. 

Mr.  Armistead  Smith's  name  next  appears  in  connection  with  Abing- 
don Parish.  It  is  recorded  in  the  Thruston  Bible  that  on  "December 
22,  1804,  at  Bell  Farm,  Rev.  A.  Smith  united  Robert  Thruston  and 
Sarah  Brown  in  "holy  matrimony."  Mr.  Smith  entered  the  ministry 
from  Kingston  Parish,  Mathews,  1792.  He  was  ordained  priest  in 
Abingdon  church  by  Bishop  Madison  in  1793.  He  died  in  1817.  Fur- 
ther note  will  be  made  of  him  in  the  Ware  article. 


210 

in  1827  the  Rev.  James  Carnes  became  rector  of  Abingdon,  in  con- 
nection with  Ware,  and  served  in  both  parishes  until  1829.'  He  was 
followed  in  both  charges  by  the  Rev.  John  Cole  (deacon),  who  contin- 
ued rector  until  1836.  He  was  succeeded  in  both  parishes  the  next  year 
hy  the  Rev.  Charles  Mann,  who  continued  his  joint  ministry  until 
U-G7,  when  he  resigned  Abingdon  Parish.  Further  note  of  Mr.  Mann 
will  be  made  in  the  article  on  Ware  Parish. 

The  Rev.  S.  H.  Phillips  became  rector  in  1868  and  was  in  charge 
until  1872,  when  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  Alexander  T.  Hundley,  who 
contiuuGd  in  charge  until  1883.  He  was  greatly  beloved  by  many 
within  and  without  the  church  and  drew  many  to  the  church. 

.'n  1884,  the  present  rector  began  his  ministry  in  the  parish,  first 
temporarily,  then  permanently,  in  June,  1885. 

During  the  late  Mr.  Hundley's  ministry  a  mission  was  established 
in  Robins'  Neck,  about  five  miles  from  the  church,  upon  what  is  known 
as  the  "Free  School  Tract,"  the  land  formerly  donated  by  Henry  Pea- 
liody  to  Abingdon  and  Ware  Parishes.  From  this  beginning,  in  1888, 
the  present  rector  was  able  to  build  the  Holy  Innocents  chapel,  not 
where  the  mission  started,  but  upon  a  piece  of  land  given  by  the  late 
Mr.  Robert  C.  Selden,  of  Sherwood — a  devout  Churchman  and  vestry- 
man. 

In  connection  with  this  chapel  I  wish  to  make  special  mention  of 
my  friond  and  parishioner,  the  late  Mr.  Joe  Deal.  He  owned  a  part 
cf  the  "Free  School  Tract,"  and  lived  and  died  in  the  original  Peas- 
ley  house,  built  about  1655.  He  was  a  liberal  subscriber  to  the  chapel, 
and,  according  to  his  request,  he  was  buried  with  his  parents  and 
o*:hpr  members  of  his  family  at  Abingdon  church. 

In  October,  1904,  Rev.  S.  R.  Tyler  assisted  in  Abingdon  and  Ware 
Parishes  until  July  1,  1905,  when  he  left  to  take  charge  of  Hamilton 
Parish,  Va.  He  was  at  once  followed  by  the  Rev.  R.  Y.  Barber,  who  left 
at  the  end  of  a  year  for  Texas. 

Having  given,  as  far  as  I  could,  a  list  of  the  ministers  of  Abingdon 
Parish,  it  will  be  interesting  to  add  the  names  of  officers  and  of  ves- 
trymen as  far  as  they  are  known.  There  are  no  known  records  prior 
1o  1785  that  give  information  on  this  subject.  In  Dr.  Dashiell's  Digest 
of  the  Councils  of  the  Diocese  of  Virginia,  I  find  Governor  John  Page, 
of  Rosewell,  represented  Abingdon  Parish  in  the  Diocesan  Council  in 
the  years  1785,  '86.  '87,  '91  and  '97.  Thomas  Lewis  in  1787  and  Warner 
Lewis  in  1794. 


211 

In  1785  I  find  Governor  Page  chairman  of  a  committee  in  the  Con- 
vention to  prepare  an  address  to  the  members  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  of  Virginia,  representing  the  condition  of  that  Church. 

In  1854  Bishop  Meade  says  Governor  Page  had  seven  descendants  in 
the  Episcopal  ministry. 

The  first  recorded  vestry  meeting  in  Gloucester  county  was  held  at 
Gloucester  Courthouse,  July  31,  1830.  It  represented  the  joint  parishes 
of  Abingdon  and  Ware.  Present,  Rev.  John  Cole,  Dr.  William  Talia- 
ferro, Sr.,  Colonel  Catesby  Jones,  Captain  William  Robins,  Dr.  William 
G.  Wiatt,  Phillip  E.  Tabb,  William  P.  Smith.  On  motion  being  made. 
Colonel  Catesby  Jones  and  Dr.  William  Taliaferro,  Sr.,  were  unani- 
mously elected  wardens  for  Ware  church.  Mr.  Archibald  Taylor,  Sr., 
and  Captain  William  Robins  were  in  the  same  manner  nominated  and 
appointed  wardens  for  Abingdon  church. 

On  April  30,  1832,  we  have  a  list  of  the  Joint  body  of  vestrymen: 
"The  following  members  are  appointed  for  Ware  parish  vestry:  Colo- 
nel Catesby  Jones,  Rev.  John  Cole,  Dr.  William  Taliaferro,  Sr.,  W.  T. 
Taliaferro,  William  P.  Smith,  Philip  E.  Tabb.  For  Abingdon  Parish: 
Colonel  William  Jones,  George  B.  Taliaferro,  Thomas  Smith,  John  R. 
Bryan,  William  Smart  and  A.  L.  Davies.  Dr.  William  Taliaferro  and 
Colonel  Catesby  Jones,  wardens  for  Ware.  George  B.  Taliaferro  and 
John  R.  Bryan,  wardens  for  Abingdon." 

That  same  vestry  met  December  31,  and  passed  the  following: 

"On  motion  being  made  and  seconded,  the  resignation  of  the  Rev. 
John  Cole  was  accepted,  and  it  is  further  resolved  that  the  vestry, 
through  their  secretary,  do  express  the  high  sense  they  entertain  of 
Mr.  Cole's  services,  and  their  entire  approbation  of  his  conduct  during 
the  whole  time  he  has  officiated  as  minister  of  the  parishes  above  men- 
tioned, embracing  a  period  of  aoout  seven  years." 

Again  the  Vestry  Book  is  missing  to  the  year  1868. 

Abingdon  vestry  May  4,  1867:  Colonel  J.  Lyle  Clarke,  Charles  Selden, 
Captain  R.  M.  Page.  At  this  period  both  church  edifice  and  its  officers 
had  to  be  re-established.  The  vestry  for  1868:  Colonel  J.  Lyle  Clarke, 
Dr.  Charles  Selden,  Captain  R.  M.  Page,  Mr.  John  Backhouse,  Captain 
J.  B.  Brown,  Captain  John  T.  Perrin. 

Abingdon  and  Ware  were  represented  in  the  Council  in  1827  by  Aug. 
L.  Dabney,  and  again  in  1831.  Abingdon  was  represented  in  the  Con- 
ventions of  1827  and  '31  by  Augustine  L.  Dabney;  in  1836  and  '40,  '50, 
'54,  '57,  by  John  R.  Bryan. 


212 

The  following  are  vestrymen  of  Abingdon  and  Ware  conjointly  from 
1865  to  1867,  when  relationships  were  dissolved:  Warner  Taliaferro, 
William  Patterson  Smith,  Wyndham  Kemj),  Dr.  Francis  Jones,  Dr.  Sam- 
uel Cary,  Gen.  William  B.  Taliaferro,  Colonel  William  T.  Robins,  Col- 
onel J.  Lyle  Clarke,  Captain  Richard  M.  Page,  Dr.  Charles  Selden,  Mr. 
Richard  P.  Jones,  Major  William  K.  Perrin. 

From  1867  to  1885  the  following  were  added  to  the  vestry:  Messrs. 
Robert  C.  Selden,  John  W.  C.  Catlett,  Daniel  C.  Hopper,  M.  J.  Musson, 
John  Backhouse,  T.  J.  Meredith,  Captain  Joseph  S.  James,  Burnet 
Brcwn,  Judge  Fielding  Lewis  Taylor,  Captain  J.  M.  Nicholson.  Since 
1885  the  following  have  been  added:  Richard  W.  Jones,  Joshua  G. 
Bray,  Walter  Harwcod,  J.  Curtis  James,  Ashton  Sinclair,  Joseph  Bryan 
and  John  Lewis  Bouldin. 

The  present  vestry  consists  of  Judge  Charles  Catlett,  senior  warden; 
J.  Curtis  James,  junior  warden;  J.  L.  Bouldin,  treasurer;  Judge  F.  L. 
Taylor,  register;  Messrs.  Joseph  Bryan,  J.  G.  Bray,  Walter  Harwood 
and  Ashton  Sinclair. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  future  historian  of  the  parish  will  re- 
joice when  he  comes  across  the  minute  and  complete  records  that 
Judge  Taylor  has  kept  of  the  proceedings  of  the  vestry. 

Abingdon  has  been  repaired  three  times — first  in  1841,  when  the 
Rev.  Charles  Mann,  Messrs.  John  Tabb,  J.  R.  Bryan  and  Richard  Coke 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  attend  to  the  same.  About  that  time, 
it  is  probable,  the  present  beautiful  reredos  was  placed  in  the  chancel, 
on  which  are  the  tables  of  the  Commandments,  the  Creed  and  the 
Lord's  Prayer. 

In  1867  the  church  having  been  much  injured  by  the  Federal  troops, 
who  occupied  it  at  times  during  the  war,  was  repaired  at  a  cost  of 
$1,500.  Some  of  the  Colonial  pews  had  been  destroyed  and  others  were 
used  as  stalls  for  horses.  The  floor  was  raised  and  modern  pe'^'s  re- 
placed the  original  ones. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  while  the  church  was  closed  to  divine 
services,  the  words,  "We  praise  Thee,  O  God,"  remained  high  on  the 
reredos  from  the  Christmas  dressing  of  1861.  When  the  church  was 
repaired  these  words  were  painted  on  the  reredos  in  golden  letters. 

Colonel  J.  Lyle  Clarke  was  leader  in  this  second  repairing  of  the 
church.  There  is  a  claim  for  damages  done  the  church  pending  in  the 
Un-ted  States  court. 

In  1897  the  heavy  timbers  in  the  roof  were  found  to  be  unsafe,  and 
for  the  third  time  repairs  had  to  be  made. 


213 

Mrs.  Charles  H.  and  Mrs.  William  C.  Dimmock  were  indefatigable 
in  their  efforts  to  again  repair  the  beautiful  old  church.  Indeed,  every 
member  of  the  congregation  and  many  friends  outside  contributed  to 
the  same.  It  was  necessary  to  remove  the  woodwork  down  to  the  walls 
and  build  over  again;  to  put  in  two  chimneys  and  a  furnace;  to  change 
the  chancel,  placing  it  and  the  pulpit  in  their  former  places,  and  to 
make  a  vestry  room.  All  this  involved  an  expense  of  about  $3,000. 
The  work  was  executed  according  to  the  plans  of  Mr.  Marion  Dimmock, 
of  Richmond,  and  under  his  charge.  It  was  begun  and  finished  in  the 
year  1897.  That  November  the  Rev.  C.  B.  Bryan  preached  the  re- 
opening sermon,  this  being  the  church  of  his  childhood. 

It  would  be  an  imperfect  sketch  of  Abingdon  church  without  the  men- 
tion of  some  of  the  families  who,  in  all  their  history,  have  been  identi- 
fied with  the  work.  Such  were  the  Warners,  Robins,  Lewises,  Tay- 
lors, Thrustons,  Manns,  Seawells,  Perrins,  Carys,  Thorntons,  Burwells, 
Pages,  Ennes,  Roots,  Tabbs,  Deans,  Bryans,  Seldens,  Sinclairs,  Catletts 
and  Harwoods.  Doubtless  from  among  these  and  others  were  found 
early  vestrymen,  who  attended  to  the  f.ffairs  of  the  church. 

I  shall  reserve  certain  conclusions  as  to  the  work  of  these  worthies 
until  I  speak  of  families  in  Ware,  as  these  two  parishes  were  closely 
united  and  many  of  the  same  names  were  in  both. 

A  careful  count  has  been  made  by  Mr.  St.  George  T.  C.  Bryan  of  the 
recorded  baptisms  in  the  old  register,  1677  to  1761,  as  follows:  Infant 
male,  white,  1,384;  infant  female,  white,  1,422;  adult  white,  12;  negroes, 
950.     '±otal,  3,768. 

It  is  to  be  noted  that  the  registration  of  the  baptisms  of  the  colored 
persons  was  made  in  regular  order  along  with  the  registration  of  white 
persons,  and  without  distinction  in  place.  There  were  also  found,  and 
an  alphabetical  list  made  of  572  different  surnames  of  white  families, 
some  of  which  occurred  very  often  in  the  registration.  Each  surname 
is  recorded  but  once.     This  list  appears  below. 

Reflect,  that  more  than  150  years  ago,  572  white  families  in  Abing- 
don Parish  alone  received  Christian  ministrations  at  the  hands  of  the 
Church  of  England.  Had  our  forefathers  been  godless  in  this  new 
land  what  would  have  been  their  fate,  and  that  of  their  children  and 
children's  children? 

I  wish  to  express  my  thanks  to  Mr.  St.  George  T.  C.  Bryan,  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  William  C.  Stubbs  and  other  friends  for  valuable  aid  in  material 
and  otherwise  in  this  and  the  Ware  article. 


214 

INTKKKSTING   CIirRfll    AM)    FAMILY    KK(  OliDS. 

Below  are  seen  the  surnames  of  570  resident  families  of  Abingdon 
Parish,  Gloucester  county,  Virginia,  from  1677  to  1761.  This  alpha- 
betical list  was  taken  from  the  parish  records  of  births,  marriages  and 
deaths  during  eighty-four  years.  There  may  be  repetition  in  a  few 
instances,   due   to    difference   in   spelling  these   family   names: 

Adams,  Albin,  Alloway,  Anderson,  Ashington,  Augustin,  Arnold, 
Abney,  Allman,  Ames,  Antony,  Ashley,  Austin,  Arnall,  Absalom,  Allen, 
Ambrose,  Archibald,  Atkins,  Allberson,  Tylestock,  Alcomb,  Allard,  Am- 
mon,  Armstrong,  Angur,  Andrews,  Babbs,  Barbary,  Barrow,  Best, 
Berkeley,  Boswell,  Briggs,  Brown,  Broadbent,  Burrison,  Buchanan, 
Burton,  Baker,  Barkley,  Barnet,  Botts,  Beddos,  Bourk,  Breeding,  Broad- 
ley,  Brunner,  Burrows,  Burwell,  Barth,  Bates,  Baden,  Beveridge,  Black- 
burn, Bowry,  Brockley,  Broach,  Bryan,  Burford,  Burnett,  Barlow,  Bay- 
lor, Bartlet,  Berryman,  Bolton,  Boloine,  Bradley,  Buck,  Butler,  Bishop, 
Barnes,  Barton,  Belvin,  Bew,  Booker,  Boutwell,  Brooks,  Bromfield, 
Buckstone,  Busbie,  Broderick,  Catrine,  Cane,  Cannifack,  Cawdle,  Cham- 
b^^rlain,  Clare,  Cole,  Correll,  Cocker,  Crittenden,  Crow,  Caker,  Cannon, 
Cannaday,  Chance,  Chandler,  Clover,  Collins,  Cottrell,  Compton,  Crane, 
Creedle,  Callingerne,  Carter,  Call,  Chapman,  Christian,  Cleveland, 
Cocke,  Cornwell,  Cooper,  Critchfield,  Crawson,  Camp.  Carr,  Caul, 
Churchill,  Clayton,  Clement,  Cooley,  Coleman,  Couchman,  Crutchfield. 
Curry,  Campbell,  Cary,  Cawdell,  Charwell,  Clerk,  Cluverius,  Corriwell, 
Cowper,  Coward,  Creswell,  Culley,  Daniel,  Davies,  Day,  Dennis.  Do 
Jarnette,  Dorton,  Dudley,  Dennaby,  Dalton,  Dearing,  Dens,  Dickson, 
Druth,  Dunbar,  Danney,  Dawson,  Deal,  Dent,  Dixon,  Drewett,  Dyei-, 
Darnaly,  Dandy,  Dodenharn,  Densborow,  Dobbs,  Drummond,  Davis, 
Dawzey,  Deneson,  Dew,  Dobson,  Dunford,  Eames,  Elliser,  Erborough, 
Eavue,  Elvidge,  Earning,  Ellis,  Edwards,  Ellenor,  Ebbit,  Elkin.  Fal- 
cher,  Figg,  Frawer,  Firnice,  Farrier,  Finley,  Freeman,  Farril,  Fitzhar- 
ris,  Fulcher,  Forsythe,  Fox,  Furbet,  Fletcher,  Foster,  Fuller,  Gawin. 
Gibbs,  Gower,  Gorman,  Green  Gromley,  Gaines,  Giles,  Goswell,  Gravit, 
Grixon,  Guttery,  Gascoigne,  Goodman,  Goreing,  Graves,  Groves,  Gut- 
teridge,  Gardner,  Coram,  Gough,  Granley,  Greenwood,  Gwathmey,  Gillet, 
Gordon,  Golsher,  Grawson,  Griswit,  Hall,  Harrington,  Hearn.  Hill. 
Hockett,  Howell,  Hopdon,  Huff,  Hunley,  Haley,  Hartwell.  Heywood. 
Hinch,  Hogg,  Holies,  Howell,  Hughes,  Hale,  Haswell,  Hemmingway. 
Highland,  Hobday,  Hollinger,  Humphrey,  Huggins,  Harvey,  Hatch, 
Hilery,    Higgens,    How.    Holyfried,    Hunt.    Hugsey,    Harwood,    Haynes. 


215 

Hilliard,  Holt,  Howard,  Houch,  Hudson,  Hussy,  Hupsey,  Isabel,  James, 
Jobbin,  Janson,  Jock,  Jeffries,  Jennings,  Jones,  Johnston,  Jenkins, 
Keaton,  Keyes,  King,  Keek,  Kibby,  Kendrick,  Knight,  Kerbie,  Knowles, 
Keymer,  Kemp,  Lacey,  Lanier,  Lee,  Lively,  Levett,  Langhinghouse, 
Lashadoe,  Leek,  Lithgoe,  Lodge,  Latsringhouse,  Lawyer,  Lowlynn, 
Lighgo,  Loyal,  Lane,  Lewyllin  Lenford,  Lobb,  Lucas,  Latter,  Ledson, 
Lester,  Love,  Lutridge,  Major,  March,  Mannisher,  McKendrie,  McWil- 
liams,  MeClary,  Marstick,  Marriner,  Mattocks,  Mead,  McDaniel,  Mas- 
toak.  Mason,  Mathews,  Megrah,  Michniel,  Marnix,  Marca,  May,  Mever, 
Mapp,  Mannox,  Martin,  Mayo,  Megson,  Meriday,  Minor,  Moody,  Morrel, 
Murrell,  Millicint,  Mitchel,  Moore,  Morris,  Murfey  Mills,  More,  Morrow, 
Mynne,  Millward,  Mixon,  Moring,  Moxen,  McCollister,  Miller,  Moein, 
Morney,  Mumford,  Neatby,  Neuman,  Nochols,  Nelson,  Newman,  Noden, 
Nevel,  Neving,  Nolton,  Newell,  Newcomb,  Norman,  Nernie,  Nicholls, 
Nowell,  Okey,  Orrill,  Olliway,  Oxenbridge,  Oliver,  Olive,  Orgin,  Paddi- 
son,  Parala,  Pate,  Perry,  Pierce,  Powell,  Pritchett^  Page,  Partridge,  Pat- 
terson, Perkins,  Pointer,  Pomeroy,  Prince,  Pallet,  Pargison,  Peat,  Pey- 
ton, Pollard,  Powers,  Prosser,  Pallison,  Parsola,  Peage,  Pippin,  Poore, 
Popham,  Purcell,  Parry,  Paston,  Parrin,  Plesey,  Pollet,  Potter,  Pur- 
chase, Quales,  Quarles,  Rachford,  Redd,  Rider,  Rolf,  Ruggles,  Ryland, 
Ralph,  Reed,  Robins,  Rose,  Rup,  Ruglass,  Ramsey,  Reiheson,  Roberts, 
Ross,  Rupie,  Ran,  Richeson,  Robinson,  Rowe,  Rupel,  Rawbottom,  Rice, 
Rogers,  Robeson,  Russell,  Sadler,  Sares,  Scriven,  Shackleford,  Simmons, 
Smith,  Spiller,  Street,  Stoaks,  Swift,  Saches,  Sargison,  Scriviner,  Sher- 
iff, Skelton,  Soals,  Speed,  Stanton,  Stone,  Sykes,  Salisbury,  Savage, 
Seawell,  Sherwin,  Slater,  Spann,  Spratt,  Steevens,  Stubbs,  Sympson, 
Sanders,  Sawyer,  Serwiner,  Shilling,  Slatterwhite,  Spencer,  Stafford, 
Stevens,  Sumer,  Saunders,  Sharras,  Shools,  Simpson,  Slave,  Spruce, 
Straghan,  Stevenson,  Surles,  Tarleton,  Temple,  Thompson,  Tillage, 
Tomson,  Tomstram,  Tyler,  Tarrant,  Terrill,  Thornton,  Todd,  Tool,  Tug- 
den,  Tate,  Terry,  Thrift,  Tombies,  Tornson,  Turner,  Tawell,  Thomas, 
Throckmorton,  Tomkeys,  Trancham,  Twails,  Teagle,  Thorogood,  Thrus- 
ton,  Tomkins,  Trawer,  Twine,  Ueding,  Upton,  Vest,  Voluntine,  Vaughan, 
Vines,  Vincent,  Villine,  Waddle,  Wafers,  West,  Whiting,  Williams, 
Woodfolk,  Walker,  Wormley,  Waterfield,  Westborn,  Wilson,  Whitaker, 
Woodfult.  Wafer,  Watkins,  Wheeler,  Willsborn,  Wingate,  Wood,  Wel- 
lington, Wave,  White,  Wiley,  Witrong,  Wyatt,  Washington,  Watts, 
Whitehead,  Willis,   Woodfork,   Wynn,   Yarborough,   Young,   Yates. 


WARE   CHURCH,   GLOUCESTER   COUNTY. 
VIRGINIA. 

BY   TIIE  REV.   WILLIAM   HYKI)   I.Ki;,   RKCTOR. 

WARE  Parish  was  established  between  1G52  and  1654.     It  em- 
braces  the   southeast   section   of  Gloucester   county,   and    is 
between  thirty  and  forty  miles  in  circumference;    bounded 
on   the   east  and   north   by  Mobjack   bay;    North   river  and 
Mathews  county  on  the  west,  and  south  by   Petsworth  and  Abingdon 
Parishes. 

Tradition  says  there  was  a  former  church  or  chapel  in  the  parish, 
located  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  present  church,  on  Glen 
Roy  estate,  formerly  the  home  of  William  Patterson  Smith,  now  owned 
by  Dr.  William  R.  Jaeger.  A  clump  of  trees  and  one  or  two  tomb- 
stones mark  the  spot.  Mrs.  Isaac  H.  Carrington  (nee  Smith)  says  that 
her  father  protected  this  old  site  from  encroaching  cultivation.  When 
she  was  quite  a  young  girl  she  made  copies  of  the  inscriptions  on 
two  old  gravestones  for  Bishop  Meade,  and  sent  them  to  him,  at  his 
request.  Then  there  were  a  good  many  broken  bricks  on  the  spot. 
The  field  where  this  graveyard  is,  has  long  been  known  as  the  "Church 
Field,"  and  Bishop  Meade  speaks  of  it  in  "Old  Churches  and  Families 
of  Virginia."  On  the  same  farm  is  Glebe  Point,  suggestive  that  part 
of  the  forgotten  glebe  lands  of  Ware  Parish  may  have  been  there- 
about. This  first  church  is  supposed  to  have  been  built  soon  after 
Ware  Parish   was  established. 

In  1680  a  petition  was  made  before  the  Colonial  Court  and  Council 
for  permission  to  build  another  church  in  Ware  Parish.  (See  records 
in  Virginia  Historical  Society.)  In  the  absence  of  early  parish  re- 
cords, I  conclude  that  this  petition  was  for  the  building  of  the  present 
Ware  church,  and  that  it  was  erected  within  the  next  ten  years.  The 
ground  on  which  it  stands  is  said  to  have  been  donated  by  the  Throck- 
mortons,  who  once  owned  the  adjoining  estate,  it  being  a  part  of 
"Mordecai  Mount,"  the  original  seat  of  the  Cookes.  1  believe,  however, 
the  church  was  built  before  the  estate  passed  into  the  Throckmorton 
family,  as  Gabriel  Throckmorton  did  not  marry  Frances  Cooke  until 
1G90.  (See  descendants  of  Mordecai  Cooke,  by  William  C.  Stubbs. 
Ph.  D.) 


217 

The  present  church  is  of  brick,  with  glazed  heads;  is  rectangular, 
80  feet  by  40  feet;  walls  three  feet  thick.  It  is  surrounded  by  a  brick 
wall  that  confines  a  cemetery  of  half  an  acre  of  land,  shaded  by  a 
grove  of  cedars  and  walnuts.  Six  acres  of  land,  recently  acquired, 
adjoin  the  old  churchyard. 

Three  doors,  "North,"  "South"  and  "West."  give  entrance  to  the 
church.  The  chancel  occupies  the  east  end.  The  space  directly  in 
front  of  the  chancel  is  covered  by  inscribed  horizontal  gravestones. 
There  were— before  the  change  of  the  interior  plan— four  rows  of 
medium  high  pews;  a  row  along  the  north  and  south  walls,  respect- 
ively, and  a  double  row,  end  on  end,  extended  through  the  body  of 
the  church.  Two  longitudinal  flagged  aisles  ran  between  the  lines 
of  wall-pews  and  the  opposing  central  rows;  a  cross  aisle  between 
the  north  and  south  doors  and  an  aisle  at  the  west  end,  under  the 
servants'  gallery,  each  made  connection  with  the  two  longitudinal 
aisles.  The  tall  pulpit  stood  near  the  south  door.  It  was  a  strik- 
ing and  handsome  interior.  Much  objection  was  raised  at  the  time 
when   modern  pews   were  substituted   in   1854. 

The  church  is  lighted  by  twelve  large  windows.  Of  these,  two 
double  ones  are  in  the  chancel,  and  each  describes  an  arc  above. 
There  appears  to  have  been  the  same  absence  of  provision,  as  at 
Abingdon,  for  heating  the  church.  It  was  left,  doubtless,  in  early  days, 
to  each  family  or  person  to  come  prepared  or  else  worship  regardless 
of  the  cold.  Under  the  best  conditions  in  winter  the  churches  were 
very  cold.  One  devout  lady,  of  whom  I  have  heard,  while  riding  to 
church  in  her  high  swing  "C"  spring  carriage  on  wintry  days,  sang 
herself  into  a  fervent  mood,  and  on  arrival  she  found  nothing  so  warm- 
ing to  her  in  church  as  a  sermon  from  the  Rev.  John  Peyton  McGuire, 
of  Tappahannock,  who  occasionally  visited  Ware  and  Abingdon. 

The  earliest  minister  I  have  record  of  was  Rev.  .John  Gwynn.  who 
served  this  parish  from  1672  to  1674,  when  he  went  to  Abingdon.  I 
can  hardly  think  that  the  parish  was  without  ministerial  services 
from   its   beginning   to   1672. 

In  an  old  Root  family  paper  it  is  said  of  Rev.  John  Gwynn:  "He  was 
a  cavalier  parson,  turned  out  of  his  parish  in  England  by  Parliamen- 
tary authorities  during  the  Civil  War."  He  doubtless  came  to  this 
country   prior   to   1660. 

Possibly  the  next  minister  in  Ware  Parish  was  Rev.  Wadding. 
Dashiell  reports  him  in  Gloucester  in  1676.  The  other  parishes  were 
supplied  in  1677. 


218 

The    next    known    minister     was     Rev.     James     Clack,     wlio    served 
from   1679   until   his  death   in   1723.     His  tomb   is   four   fe'et   from   the 
east  wall,  outside  the  church  with  this  inscription: 
"Here  lyeth  the  Body  of 
^  James   Clack,    the    Youngest    Son 

X  of   William   and   Mary   Clack — 

^  Born  in  the  Parish  of  Harden, 

0)  miles  from   Devizes, 

2  — the  county  of  Wilts, 

■"  came   out   a   England    August   18. 

Arrived  in  Virginia  upon  New  Year's  day  following.  Came  into  this 
Parish  of  Ware  at  Easter,  where  he  Continued  Minister  near  forty- 
five  years,  till  he  Dy'd.  He  departed  this  life  on  the  20  day  of  Decem- 
ber, in  the  year  of  Our  Lord  God  1723,  in  hopes  of  a  joyfull  Resurrection 
to  Eternal  Life,  which  God  Grant  him  for  his  Blessed  Redeemer's 
Sake.     Amen." 

Under  his  ministry  the  present  church  was  built.  His  descendants 
are  still  in  the  parish  and  have  done  much  to  maintain  the  gracious 
mission  of  the  ancient  church.  Mr.  Charles  E.  Cary,  vestryman  of 
the  parish  for  thirty-nine  years,  now  senior  warden,  is  descended 
from  him. 

After  Mr.  Clack's  death,  according  to  reports  of  Rev.  Emmanuel 
Jones,  of  Petsworth,  and  Rev.  Thomas  Hughes,  of  Abingdon,  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  in  1724,  they  each  held  services  in  Ware  church 
on  alternate  Sundays  in  the  afternoon.  This,  however,  was  not  long 
continued. 

On  May  14,  1724,  Rev.  John  Richards  left  England  for  the  Colony 
of  Virginia.  (See  Emigrant  Book  to  America.)  He  was  minister  in 
Ware  church  the  following  year,  as  seen  from  the  inscription  on 
his   wife's   tombstone   in   the    church,   which    reads: 

"Underneath  this  stone  lyeth  interred  the  body  of  Amy  Richards,  the 
most  dearly  beloved  wife  of  John  Richards,  minister  of  this  parish, 
who  departed   this  life  21st  of  November,   1725,   age   40." 

Also:  "Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Mary  Ades,  her  faithful  and  beloved 
servant,  who  departed  this  life  the  23rd  of  November,  1725,  aged  28 
years." 

Rev.  Mr.  Richards  was  rector  until  his  death  in  1735,  as  seen  from 
the  following  inscription  on  his  tomb  in  Ware  church: 

"Underneath  this  stone  lyeth  the  body  of  Mr.   John  Richards,   late 


219 

rector  of  Nettlestead,  and  vicar  of  Teston,  in  the  county  of  Kent,  in 
the  Kingdom  of  England,  and  minister  of  Ware,  in  the  county  of 
Gloucester  and  Colony  of  Virginia,  who,  after  a  troublesome  passage 
through  the  various  changes  and  chances  of  this  mortal  life,  at  last 
reposed  in  this  silent  grave,  in  expectation  of  a  joyful  resurrection  to 
eternal  life.  He  died  the  12th  day  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1735,  aged  46." 

The  next  minister  in  the  parish  may  have  been  Rev.  Reid  J.  Ford, 
as  Dashiell's  Digest  of  Councils  of  Virginia  locates  him  in  Gloucester 
county  in  1740.  Then  Abingdon  and  Kingston  Parishes  were  supplied 
and  Petsworth  vacant,  waiting  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Yoak.  Mr.  Ford's 
ministry  must  have  been  very  brief,  as  another  tombstone  in  the  church 
shows  Rev.  John  Fox  as  rector  in  1742. 

"Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Isabel,  daughter  of  Mr.  Thomas  Booth,  wife 
of  Rev.  John  Fox,  minister  of  this  parish,  who,  with  exemplary  pa- 
tience, having  borne  various  afflictions,  and  with  equal  piety  discharged 
her  several  duties  on  earth,  cheerfully  yielded  to  mortality,  exchanging 
the  miseries  of  this  life  for  the  joys  of  a  glorious  eternity  on  the  13th 
day  of  June,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1742,  of  her  age  38." 

Bishop  Meade  speaks  of  Mr.  Fox  as  having  been  in  the  parish  in 
1754  and  1758. 

About  1764  the  parish  was  vacant  and  Rev.  James  Maury  Fountaine, 
of  Petsworth,  accepted  a  call  to  fill  the  same.  (See  record  in  Pets- 
worth  Vestry  Book  for  18th  day  of  November,  1764): 

"As  the  Rev.  James  Maury  Fountaine,  who  was  minister  of  Petsworth 
Parish  has  left  to  go  to  Ware,  this  parish  is  without  a  minister,  the 
vestry  hath  thought  proper  to  recommend  Mr.  Chas  Mynn  Thruston  to 
his  lordship,  the  Bishop  of  London,  to  be  ordained  a  minister  of  the 
Church   of   England." 

It  appears  from  the  same  record  that  in  1762  Mr.  Fountaine  had 
been  recommended  by  the  vestry  to  the  Bishop  of  London  for  ordin- 
ation. Thus,  two  men  were  sent  from  Gloucester  to  England  to  be 
ordained  about  the  same  time.  Captain  Charles  Mynn  Thruston 
was  a  member  of  that  vestry. 

Mr  Fountaine  seems  to  have  ended  his  days  as  rector  of  Ware.  He 
was  in  charge  in  1792,  when  he  signed  testimonials  for  Mr.  Armistead 
Smith's  ordination.  One  of  his  descendants,  Mr.  Francis  Maury 
Wyatt    reports    he   was   stricken   with   apoplexy   on   his   return   from 


220 

Ware  church  and  died  March  13,  1795,  and  was  buried  under  the  floor 
of  Ware   church,   and   a   brown   slab   was   placed   over   his -grave. 

There  are  those  now  living  who  have  heard  from  their  forefathers 
what  a  good  man  Mr.  Fountaine  was.  In  "Old  Families  and  Churches 
of  Virginia,"  Mrs.  Page,  of  Shelly,  gives  a  description  of  Petsworth 
church,  and  alludes  to  Mr.  Fountaine's  death.  She  says:  "Child  as  I 
was,  I  thought  Mr.  Fountaine  must  have  been  the  best  and  greatest  man 
in  the  world,  except  my  father."  Her  father  was  General  Nelson,  of 
Yorktown.  He  has  descendants  in  the  county  who  have  been  baptized 
in  the  church  of  their  forefathers  and  have  great  regard  for  the  same. 
Rev.  Mr.  Mann  says  Mr.  Fountaine  taught  a  school  near  Ware.  There 
is  a  house  known  as  the  old  schoolhouse,  not  far  from  the  church, 
and  supposed  to  have  been  Mr.  Fountaine's  schoolhouse. 

From  what  was  said  in  my  article  on  Abingdon,  Mr.  Fountaine  had 
served  all  the  churches  in  the  county.  His  Bible,  which  I  have  seen, 
is  still  preserved  by  Mr.  Francis  Wyatt,  and  bears  his  name  as 
"minister   of   Ware,   Abingdon   and    Petsworth." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  'Bishop  Meade  states 
that  Virginia  had  91  clergymen  officiating  in  164  churches  and  chapels. 
At  its  close,  he  says,  only  twenty-eight  ministers  were  found  labor- 
ing in  the  less  desolate  parishes  of  the  State.  This  accounts  for  Mr. 
Fountaine  having  to  divide  his  services  in  these  three  parishes. 

In  1795  Rev.  E.  L.  Talley  seems  to  have  followed  Mr.  Fountaine  in 
the  charge  of  Ware  Parish.  The  Petsworth  preserved  record  closes 
in  1792,  and  there  is  none  of  Abingdon;  so  there  is  no  way  of  telling 
whether  he  served  in  those  churches.  Mr.  Talley  probably  came  to 
Gloucester  from  St.  Paul's,  Hanover,  where  he  once  ministered.  He 
seems  to  have  been  an  unworthy  minister.  He  gave  trouble  to  the  trus- 
tees of  Ware  Parish  glebei  in  1795.  When  or  how  he  left  Ware  I  cannot 
say.  In  1805  he  was  expelled  from  the  order  of  Masons  for  unworthy 
conduct.  Bishop  Meade  makes  but  little  mention  of  him.  He  says: 
■'Rev.  Mr.  Talley  became  a  Universalist,  and  died  a  drunkard." 
About  that  time  there  was  a  Rev.  Mr.  Hefferman  in  Middlesex,  of  ill 
report.  These  two  men  did  the  Church  much  harm.  How  needful,  in 
all  ages,  is  the  prayer  appointed  for  Matthias  Day:  "O  Almighty  God, 
who,  in  the  place  of  the  traitor  Judas,  didst  choose  Thy  faithful  ser- 
vant Matthias  to  be  of  the  number  of  the  twelve  Apostles;  grant  that 
Thy  Church,  being  alway  preserved  from  false  apostles,  may  be  ordered 
and  guided  by  faithful  and  true  pastors,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord.     Amen." 


221 

As  noted  in  the  Abingdon  article,  Rev.  Armistead  Smitii  served 
Ware  in  connection  with  the  other  parishes  of  Gloucester  and  Mathews, 
I  thinlc,  from  the  time  the  unfortunate  Mr.  Talley  left  until  the  death 
of  Mr.   Smith   in   1817. 

Mr.  Thomas  A.  Smith  leports  his  father,  Mr.  Patterson  Smith,  as 
saying  that  the  Rev.  Armistead  Smith  generally  rode  a  trotting  horse 
from  his  home,  "Belleview,"  in  the  lower  part  of  Mathews,  to  his 
appointments  at  Ware  and  Abingdon.  He  lived  about  thirty  miles 
from  Abingdon  church.  He  did  a  good  work  and  left  a  sweet  memory 
behind  him.  His  son,  Mr.  W.  P.  Smith,  was  a  most  active  vestryman 
and  supporter  of  the  parish  for  many  years,  until  his  death.  He 
trained  his  family  in  the  ways  of  the  Church.  I  am  told  that  when 
he  and  they  could  not  attend  church,  he  held  the  Church's  service  with 
his  children  in  his  home,  and  read  a  sermon.  This  excellent  custom 
was  and  is  still  practiced  in  families  in  the  two  parishes,  and  is  worthy 
of  emulation  and  perpetuation. 

Mr.  Armistead  Smith  was  a  native  of  Mathews  county.  He  was 
recommended  by  the  vestry  of  Kingston  Parish,  as  well  as  by  Mr, 
Fountaine,  for  holy  orders.  He  served  as  deacon  in  Kingston  Parish 
and  was  ordained  priest  in  Abingdon  church  by  Bishop  Madison  in 
1793.  He  entered  the  ministry  when  the  Episcopal  Church  was  in  her 
most  depressed  period,  after  her  disestablishment  in  this  land.  It 
took,  indeed,  a  true,  wise,  strong  and  faithful  man  to  exercise  the 
ministry  she  had  received  from  the  Lord  Jesus.  Her  depressed  and 
scattered  children  were  as  sheep  going  astray.  Such  was  Mr.  Smith 
to  his  people.  He  attempted  to  fix  their  hope  in  God;  to  calm  their 
fears;  to  rekindle  their  devotion  to  their  Church  and  to  encourage 
them  to  labor  to  rebuild  her  waste  places.  To  this  he  gave  his 
heart  and  life.  He  died  in  1817  and  was.  buried  at  Toddsbury,  the 
home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.   Thomas  Tabb,   in  Ware   Parish. 

Inscription  on  the  tomb  of  Rev.  Armistead  Smith,  "Toddsbury," 
Gloucester  county,  Va: 

"Sacred  to  the  memory  of  The  Rev.  Armistead  Smith,  of  Mathews 
Co..  who  after  having  faithfully  served  God  in  the  Gospel  of  His  Son, 
departed  this  life  Sept.  12th,  1817,  aged  60  years,  9  months  and  12  days. 

"If  sincerity  in  friendship,  a  heart  glowing  with  true  piety,  benevo- 
lence and  charity  have  a  claim  to  lasting  regard,  the  memory  of  the 
deceased  will  be  fondly  cherished." 

He  was  the  son  of  Captain  Thomas  Smith,  of  Beechland,  Mathews 
county   (then  Gloucester),  and  Dorothy   Armistead,  of  Hesse.     Among 


222 

his  descendants  in  Gloucester  are  Messrs.  Thomas  A.  Smith,  William 
A.  Smith  and  Miss  Marian  S.  Smith,  the  Tabhs  of  "News'tead"  and 
"Showan,"  and  the  Dabneys,  of  "The  Exchange." 

After  Rev.  Armistead  Smith's  death  Ware,  like  Abingdon,  was 
without  a  minister  for  about  ten  years.  During  a  part  of  this 
period,  I  am  told,  the  doors  were  left  open,  and  passing  persons  and 
beasts  found  shelter  from  storms  under  its  roof.  About  1826  God 
stirred  the  hearts  of  the  people  to  think  upon  His  Church,  and  about 
their  spiritual  needs. 

Bishop  Meade  makes  mention  "of  old  Mrs.  Vanbibber  and  Dr. 
William  Taliaferro,  Sr.,  two  of  the  props  of  the  Church  in  the  days 
of  her  adversity,  in  this  wise:  "I  need  not  speak  to  the  present  gen- 
eration in  Gloucester,  as  there  are  still  some  living  who  knew  their 
religious  worth,  and  continue  to  dwell  upon  the  same  to  the  younger 
ones."  Of  Mrs.  Vanbibber  some  interesting  notices  appeared  many 
yeais  since  in  one  of  our  religious  papers.  Of  Dr.  Taliaferro  I  may 
say,  from  personal  knowledge,  that  It  is  not  9ften  we  meet  with 
a  more  pious  and  benevolent  man  or  more  eminent  physician."  So 
wrote  Bishop  Meade. 

Other  kindred  spirits  came  forward  to  the  help  of  this  holy  cause, 
which  resulted  in  the  call  of  Rev.  James  Carnes  to  the  parishes  of 
Ware  and  Abingdon;  which  he  accepted,  and  was  rector  about  two 
years,  from  1827-1829. 

In  1829  Rev.  John  Cole  became  joint  rector  of  Ware  and  Abingdon, 
and  so  continued  for  about  seven  years,  when  he  resigned  and  moved 
to  Culpeper  Courthouse,  Va. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  note  the  efforts  of  the  vestry  to  obtain 
another  minister:  "At  a  meeting  of  the  joint  vestry  of  the  parishes 
of  Ware  and  Abingdon  churches,  convened  at  Gloucester  Courthouse, 
on  the  4th  of  February,  1837,  for  the  purpose  of  inviting  a  Pastor, 
to  take  charge  of  the  above  Parishes — On  motion  being  made,  and 
seconded  by  Mr.  W.  T.  Taliaferro,  Mr.  G.  Booth  Taliaferro  and  Mr. 
J.  R.  Bryan  were  appointed  a  committee  to  correspond  with  the 
Rev.  Thomas  Atkinson,  and  failing  in  the  application  to  Mr.  Atkinson, 
they  are  then  authorized  to  correspond  with  Mr.  Bowers  or  Mr.  Wilmer 
to  fill  the  vacancy  having  occurred  by  the  resignation  of  the  Rev. 
John  Cole." 

Being  unsuccessful,  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  Charles  Mann, 
who  was  a  former  rector  of  Christ  church,  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  at 
the  time  of  this  call  filled  the  chair  of  Pastoral  Divinity  at  the  Vir- 


223 

ginia  Theological  Seminary.  Mr.  Mann  came  to  the  parish  in  Novem- 
ber, 1837.  He  continued  his  long  and  faithful  ministry  for  forty  years, 
until  his  death,  January  16,  1878.  His  grave  is  just  east  of  the  church 
wall  and  close  by  that  of  Rev.  Mr.  Clack,  the  first  minister  of  the 
present  church.  I  quote  from  Mr.  Mann's  letters  to  one  of  the  mis- 
sionary societies,  perhaps  the  last  he  wrote:  "The  aid  of  your  society 
is  now  more  needed  than  ever  before  in  this  parish,  as  in  consequence 
of  my  age  (85)  and  infirmity  (being  lame),  I  have  been  obliged  to  have 
an  assistant.  This  parish  has  never  been  in  so  thriving  a  condition 
as  it  now  is.  Of  the  seven  persons  confirmed,  four  were  among  the 
most  influential  men  in  the  parish,  and  there  are  several  others  who 
wish  to  be,  as  soon  as  the  Bishop  can  visit  us;  and  as  the  church  in 
the  adjoining  parish  has  been  closed  for  want  of  a  rector,  the  con- 
gregations are  increased  in  size  though  the  salary  paid  is  smaller  than 
ever;  but  I  do  not  complain,  as  I  believe  it  is  the  best  this  impov- 
erished people  can  do.  Through  the  generosity  of  Mr.  Charles  Bruce, 
of  Charlotte  county,  by  money  given  from  the  Bruce  fund,  the  church 
has  been  thoroughly  repaired  and  is  now  a  really  handsome  building. 
The  people  are  so  scattered  that  we  cannot  have  a  Sunday-school 
at  the  church,  but  there  several  scattered  about  in  the  parish,  which 
are  all  taught  by  pious  and  intelligent  members  of  the  church." 

Mr.  Charles  E.  Cary,  a  member  of  Mr.  Mann's  vestry  says:  "I  knew 
the  Rev.  Charles  Mann  from  my  earliest  recollection  to  the  time  of 
his  death  in  1878.  He  was  one  of  the  godliest  men,  as  well  as  one  of 
the  most  intelligent  and  best  informed,  that  I  ever  knew;  and  one 
of  the  most  thoroughly  practical.  He  was  full  of  faith,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  was  always  bright  and  cheerful.  I  remember  on  one  oc- 
casion, when  there  was  some  fear  of  dissension  in  the  Church,  on  ac- 
count of  the  High  and  Low  Churchmen,  that  he  remarked  to  me: 
'There  is  no  cause  for  fear;  it  is  God's  Church,  and  He  will  take  care 
of  it.'  " 

In  the  dire  days  of  1864-'5,  when  the  Northern  soldiers  had  stripped 
Gloucester  county  of  what  would  feed  the  citizens,  a  young  Confederate 
soldier  carried  to  Rev.  Mr.  Mann,  in  the  dead  of  winter,  a  liberal 
quantity  of  flour  for  those  times,  and  several  joints  of  pork.  This 
young  man  was  the  son  of  one  of  Mr.  Mann's  parishioners,  then  in  the 
Confederate  lines.  When  the  aged  minister  was  shown  the  provis- 
ions he  said:  "I  did  not  think  God  would  have  sent  you.  I  trusted 
Him  and  I  knew  I  should  be  taken  care  of,  though  we  were  almost 
out  of  food." 


224 

He  had  three  servant  men.  Spencer  he  trained  as  a  missionary, 
and  sent  him  to  Africa  to  preach  to  his  benighted  race.  The  6ther  two' 
servants.  Will  and  George,  proved  their  good  training  and  devotion 
to  their  old  master  and  his  helpless  family  by  resisting  every  temp- 
tation and  offer  made  them  by  the  Northern  enemy.  They  worked  the 
little  farm  and  helped  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door  so  long  as  the 
war  lasted.  Mr.  Mann  fell  on  sleep,  as  he  had  prayed  should  be  his 
earthly  end,  passing  painlessly  through  the  gates  of  eternal  life  at 
night,  while  his  family  slept— and  so  they  found  him  in  the  morning. 

His  favorite   hymn  was.   "Lord,   Forever  at   Thy   Side." 

There  is  in  Ware  church,  in  the  east  wall,  to  the  left  of  the  chanceL 
a  tablet  inscribed: 

Erected 

by  a  loving  congregation 

to  the  memory  of 

a  faithful  friend  and  pastor 

Rev.  Charles  Mann 

More  than  40  years  rectoi  of  this  parish 

Died  Jany.  lO,  1878, 

in  the  87th  year  of  his  age 

and  the  60th  year  of  his  ministry. 

He  showed  forth  the  praise  of  God  not  only  with  his  lips, 
but  in  his  faithful  giving  himself  to  his  service  and  walking- 
before  Him  in  holiness  and  righteousness  all  his  days. 

The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed. 

Rev.  William  Munford  became  Mr.  Mann's  assistant  in  187fi  and  in  1878 
succeeded  him  as  rector.     He  resigned  the  parish  in  1879. 

I  became  rector  of  the  parish  June  12,  1881,  in  connection  with 
Kingston  Parish,  Mathews  county,  Virginia.  In  June,  1885,  I  re- 
signed the  Mathews  churches  to  accept  a  call  to  Abingdon  Parish. 
Thus    Abingdon    and    Ware    became    reunited    under    one    minister. 

As  stated  in  my  Abingdon  paper.  Rev.  S.  R.  Tyler  assisted  me  in 
both  parishes  from  October,  1904.  to  July  1,  1905.  At  that  date  Rev. 
R.  Y.  Barber  followed  Mr.  Tyler  and  continued  his  aid  for  one  year. 

Although  the  list  of  the  clergy  for  the  parish  is  incomplete  for  want 
of  early  records,  still  Ware,  with  Abingdon,  was,  I  think,  fairly  well 
Fiipplied   with   ministers   in   the   Colonial    period. 

Beverley,  in  his  History  of  Virginia,  ppeakng  of  the  whole  Colony, 
says:    "They  have  now  several  vacant   parishes."     And    again.    "There 


225 

are  no  Benefices  whatever  in  the  Colony  that  remain  without  a  min- 
ister if  they  can  get  one,  and  no  qualified  minister  ever  yet  returned 
from  the  country  for  want  of  preferment." 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  Register  of  Abingdon  Parish 
from  1677  to  1761,  it  appears  there  was  a  minister  generally  at  hand 
to  administer  baptism  and  other  rites  of  the  Church. 

When  I  turn  to  the  Petsworth  vestry  book,  from  1677-1792,  I  find 
that  vestry,  when  the  parish  was  without  a  minister,  was  prompt  to 
call  another,  and  usually  obtained  one  in  reasonable  time. 

I  infer  from  the  foregoing  that  Ware  was  generally  supplied  with 
ministers,   who   did   a  faithful   work. 

I  believe  if  we  had  the  records  the  baptisms  would  compare  favor- 
ably with  those  in  Abingdon,  where,  for  the  eighty-five  years  prior — 
from  1677  to  1761—2,806  infants,  12  adults,  and  950  negroes  were  bap- 
tized. 

In  Petsworth  Rev.  Emmanuel  Jones  reports  to  the  Bishop  of  London: 
"Masters  afforded  the  ministers  every  opportunity  to  instruct  the  ne- 
groes." I  believe  the  same  was  granted  in  Ware.  Members  of  the  con- 
gregation recall  the  colored  people  occupying  the  gallery  and  the  pews 
under  the  gallery. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  note  the  first  Episcopal  visit  to  Ware  church. 
Bishop  Madison  reported  to  the  Convention  which  met  in  Richmond 
May  3,  1792,  that  he  had  visited  the  following  parishes:  York-Hampton, 
Elizabeth  City,  Abingdon,  Ware.  Christ  Church  (Middlesex),  St.  Anne, 
St.  Paul's  (King  George),  Berkeley,  Westover,  Blisland,  Bruton,  James 
City,  Henrico  and  Lunenberg,  and  is  happy  to  assure  the  Convention 
that  in  most  parishes  the  conduct  of  the  ministers  appeared  to  be  such 
as  merited  the  highest  commendation.  The  congregations  were  gen- 
erally numerous  and  attentive  to  the  form  of  worship  established  by 
the  Church;  and  though  he  had  too  much  reason  to  lament  that  suf- 
ficient regard  was  not  paid  to  the  decent  support  of  the  clergymen  in 
many  of  the  parishes,  yet  the  diligence  with  which  most  of  the  min- 
isters continued  to  discharge  their  sacred  functions,  while  it  afforded 
the  highest  proof  of  their  zeal  and  piety,  yielded  at  the  same  time 
a  pleasing  hope  that  the  Church  would  gradually  revive.. 

"In  the  five  parishes  of  Abingdon,  Ware,  Christ  Church  (Middle- 
sex), Berkeley  (Fredericksburg),  and  Bruton,  upward  of  six  hundred 
persons   have   been   confirmed,"   reports   Bishop   Madison. 

The  Ware  communion  service  consists  of  two  plates,  8%  inches  in 
diameter,  two  cups,  IVz  inches  high  and  iV2  inches  across  the  mouth 


226 

and  base.  The  original  flagon  is  not  with  the  set.  A  small  one  was 
given  to  the  church  some  years  ago. 

I  see  in  Bishop  Meade's  book  that  Hon.  Augustine  Warner  gave  Pets- 
worth  church  a  service,  consisting  of  one  silver  flagon,  two  silver 
bowls  and  two  silver  plates.  I  have  heard,  when  Petsworth  church 
went  down,  this  service  was  divided  between  Ware  church  and  another 
church,  unknown  to  me.  If  the  above  is  true,  Ware  has  the  four 
smaller  pieces.  Can  anyone  give  a  clew  to  the  missing  flagon  of  the 
service  reported  by  Bishop  Meade,  the  gift  of  Augustine  Warner? 

Having  told  the  beginning  of  the  parish  and  church  and  given  a  list 
of  the  ministers,  as  far  as  known,  it  will  be  well  to  note  the  glebes 
and  rectories  that  have  belonged  to  the  parish. 

In  1680  Mr.  Zachariah  Crips  left  300  acres  of  land  in  Ware  Parish 
for  the  support  of  the  minister.  This  became  the  glebe  and  was  sold 
in  1769,  because  the  vestry  found  one  much  better  for  the  incumbent, 
containing  378  acres.  To  effect  this  sale  (See  Hen.  Stat.  Vol.  VIII,  p. 
435),  the  House  of  Burgesses  appointed  Rev.  James  .Fountaine,  Robert 
Throckmorton,  Francis  Tomkies  and  Francis  Whiting,  Gentlemen,  to 
hold  in  trust  said  land;  that  they  may  "sell  and  by  good  and  sufficient 
deeds  convey,  for  the  best  price  that  can  be  got  for  the  same." 

During  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Talley  he  and  the  trustees  of  a 
tract  of  352  acres  of  land,  commonly  known  as  the  Glebe,  had  some 
trouble  to  arise  between  Mr.  Talley  and  the  committee,  growing  out 
of  the  question  of  its  sale.  I  cannot  say  whether  this  was  a  part  of 
the  370  acres  or  not. 

The  trustees  were  Philip  Tabb,  Thomas  Baytop,  Christopher  Pryor, 
Matthew  Anderson,  Richard  Baynham,  Morgan  Tomkies,  Mordecai 
Cooke,  Peter  Beverley  Whiting,  William  Hall,  Philip  Sansum,  and 
John  Dixon.  It  is  possible  some  or  all  of  these  may  have  been  ves- 
trymen. The  further  history  of  glebes  in  Virginia  is  too  well  known 
to  be  reviewed  in  tnis  article.     Tliey  were  abolished  in  1802. 

During  the  ministry  of  Mr.  Cole  there  was  no  rectory  in  either 
parish.  He  was  a  single  man,  and  I  understand  lived  with  his  par- 
ishioners— a  good  portion  of  his  time  with  Mr.  George  B.  Taliaferro. 
Edge  Hill,  near  Gloucester  Courthouse.  His  last  home  was  with  Mr. 
John  R.  Bryan,  at  Eagle  Point. 

In  April,  1837.  there  is  this  item  from  the  vestry  book:  "Resolved. 
Tliat  Geo.  B.  Taliaferro  be  authorized  to  collect  subscriptions  for  the 
parsonage  for  the  two  parishes  of  Ware  and  Abingdon."  The  place 
purchased  was  a  little  more  than  forty  acres  of  land,  with  a  house 


227 

and  outbuildings,  secured  from  Mr.  Chiswell  Nelson,  and  located  on 
the  "Indian  Road,"  between  "Church  Hill"  and  "Campfield"  estates 
and  about  a  mile  from  Ware  church. 

I  have  described  its  location  because  I  find  it  impossible  to  locate 
the  370  acres  and  the  other  parcel  or  parcels  of  land  just  mentioned. 

Mr.  Mann  came  to  the  parish  in  November,  1837.  He  and  his 
family  spent  several  months  with  parishioners  while  the  rectory 
was  repaired  and  enlarged.  There  he  spent  the  rest  of  his  long  and 
useful  life.  He  and  his  family  made  it  a  home  of  sunshine — a  place  of 
joy  and  welcome  to  his  parishioners,  friends  and  strangers. 

I  never  occupied  the  old  rectory.  About  the  year  1883  it  was  sold, 
and  the  funds  were  divided  between  the  two  parishes.  Ware  vestry 
purchased  a  house  and  forty  acres  of  land  for  a  rectory,  near  Glou- 
cester Courthouse,  which  I  have  since  occupied. 

I  learned  from  Dr.  and  Mrs.  William  C.  Stubbs  that  in  June,  1752, 
there  was  st^olen  from  Ware  church  the  communion  table,  pulpit  cloth 
of  crimson  velvet  double  laden  with  gold;  a  surplice  and  gown.  A 
reward  of  ten  pounds  was  offered  for  the  apprehension  of  the  thief. 

In  1724  Rev.  Thomas  Hughes,  in  his  report  from  Abingdon  to  the 
Bishop  of  London,  said:  "Surplices  had  never  been  used  in  the  parish." 
In  the  Petsworth  vestry  book,  1733,  I  find  an  item  of  expense,  "Wash- 
ing surplice  twice "     These  items  are  mentioned  as  showing  when 

and  where  the  surplice  was  used,  and  when  and  where  it  was  not  used. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  note  some  of  the  vestrymen  who  have  served 
the  parish — namely:  John  Throckmorton  was  church  warden  in  1679, 
and  Henry  Whiting  church  warden  1674.  (See  General  Court  Records, 
p.  374.)  William  Hall  represented  the  parish  in  Convention  in  1790 
and  again  1795;  Peter  Whiting  in  1797;  Richard  Baynum,  1805;  Thomas 
Smith,  1821;  Augustine  L.  Dabney,  Ware  and  Abingdon,  1827;  John 
S.  Dixon,  1832;  Catesby  Jones,  1833;  Warren  T.  Taliaferro,  1834  and 
again  in  1839;  G.  Booth  Taliaferro,  1840;  J.  R.  Bryan,  Abingdon  and 
Ware,  1843;  Dr.  J.  R.  Page,  1857;  Dr.  Samuel  Carey,  1871;  Joseph  S. 
James,  1872;  Samuel  B.  Taylor,  1875;  Charles  E.  Gary,  1876;  Dr.  M. 
Miller,  1854.     (See  Dashiell's  Digest.) 

It  is  noted  in  my  article  on  Abingdon  that  the  vestries  of  Ware  and 
Abingdon  met  together,  and  they  so  continued  until  1867,  when  their 
relationships  were  dissolved. 

Prior  to  1830  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Dabney  was  a  vestryman.  In  1841  the 
Ware  half  of .  the  vestry  consisted  of  Dr.  William  Taliaferro,  Sr., 
W.  T.  Taliaferro,  William  Patterson  Smith,  Philip  E.  Tabb  and  Charles 


228 

Curtis.  Those  since  added  were  Dr.  J.  Prosser  Tabb,  Dr.  M.  Miller, 
Dr.  John  R.  Page,  Wyndham  Kemp,  Sr.,  Dr.  Francis  Jones,  Dr.  Samuel 
Gary,  Col.  William  T.  Robins,  Maj.  William  K.  Perrin,  Samuel  D.  Puller, 
Maj.  Tazewell  Thompson,  Charles  E.  Gary,  Maj.  Powhatan  Ellis, 
John  Tabb,  John  N.  Tabb,  T.  Todd  Dabney,  Gearge  W.  Morgan, 
Thomas  L.  Benton,  James  L.  Taliaferro,  William  S.  Mott,  N.  S.  Hop- 
kins, Walter  G.  Perrin,  Lewis  M.  Byrd,  Isaac  Slingluff  and  Frederick 
Bayton  Jones. 

The  last  eight,  with  Mr.  Charles  E.  Gary,  compose  the  present  vestry. 

Among  the  family  names  prominent  in  the  history  of  the  parish 
are  Curtis,  Cooke,  Booth,  Jones,  Lewis,  Willis,  Todd,  Whiting,  Throck- 
morton, Kemp,  Tabb,  Yateman,  Corbin,  Wiatt,  Page,  Ware,  Montague, 
Byrd,  Reade,  Gary,  Baytop,  Dabney,  Tompkins,  Vanbibber,  Tomkies, 
Nelson,  Dixon,  Davies,  Taliaferro,  Smith,  Field,  Roy,  Smart,  Gamp- 
field  and  others. 

Before  closing  this  article  it  will  be  well  to  note  the  times  Ware 
church  has  been  repaired.  The  first  we  have  knowledge  of  was  in 
1827,  when  under  the  brief  ministry  of  Mr.  Carnes,  Mr.  Thomas  Tabb, 
Col.  Thomas  Smith,  Dr.  William  Taliaferro,  Sr.,  and  others,  had  it 
put  in  order  for  divine  service.     (See  Bishop  Meade's  book.) 

Mr.  Mann,  in  1836,  was  authorized  to  have  chimneys  placed  in 
Ware  church.  Evidently  they  did  not  give  satisfaction,  as  they  were 
removed  and  stovepipes  again  projected  through  the  walls. 

In  1854  the  church  was  again  repaired,  reroofed,  and  this  time  al- 
tered, the  floor  of  the  chancel  being  extended  over  the  tombs  in  the 
east  end  of  the  church.  The  flagstone  floor  of  the  aisles  was  removed 
and  laid  with  boards  to  the  level  of  the  pew  floor,  and  two  modern 
blocks  of  pews  put  in.  The  space  under  the  gallery  was  partitioned 
off  from  the  church  and  made  into  a  vestibule;  the  old  high  pulpit 
removed  from  its  position  near  the  south  door  and  substituted  by  a 
modern  one  placed  within  the  chancel. 

In  1902  a  new  slate  roof  was  put  upon  the  church,  the  former  chim- 
neys were  reopened  and  extended  and   have  proved  satisfactory. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  in  removing  the  old  roof  the  timbers  were 
found  in  excellent  condition. 

There  have  probably  been  few  counties  in  Virginia  where  a  larger 
number  of  long  rectorships  have  existed  than  in  Gloucester.  Mr.  Clack 
served  nearly  45  years;  Mr.  Gwynn,  16;  Rev.  Guy  Smith,  18;  Rev. 
Emmanuel  Jones   (in  Petsworth)   39;   Rev.  Mr.  Hughes,  25;   Mr.  Foun- 


229 

taine,  31;  Mr.  A.  Smith,  in  Mathews  and  Gloucester,  25  years;  Mr.  Mann, 
40,  and  the  present  pastor,  25  years. 

From  what  I  can  gather  of  the  condition  of  the  church  in  the  Colonial 
period  from  private  letters,  from  extracts  of  wills,  from  references  in 
sermons  and  wills,  and  from  epitaphs  on  tombstones,  there  were  many 
exalted  Christians  who  loved  God  and  His  Church,  and  tried  to  live 
godly  lives.  They  endeavored  to  instill  spiritual  teachings  and  prin- 
ciples in  the  hearts  of  tneir  children. 

In  my  Abingdon  article  I  spoke  of  Mildred  Warner,  ancestress  of 
General  Washington,  as  having  received  religious  instruction  and 
training  at  Abingdon  church.  Colonial  Gloucester  and  her  churches 
seems  to  have  been  one  of  the  seed-beds  for  raising  up  great  men 
in  the  Church  and  State.  As  an  example,  Petsworth  Parish  gave  back 
to  the  mother  Church  Beilby  Porteus,  Bishop  of  London;  our  own 
Bishop  Meade's  ancestry  goes  back  through  a  single  line  to  Gloucester. 
At  Carter's  creek,  in  Abingdon  Parish,  there  once  lived  and  is  now 
buried  Lucy  Higginson,  widow  of  Maj.  Lewis  Burwell,  after  wife  of 
Philip  Ludwell,  and  ancestress  of  that  illustrious  Churchman,  patriot 
and  statesman,  Richard  Henry  Lee.  Another  Gloucester  Parish, 
"Kingston"  (now  in  Mathews  county),  had  the  honor  of  training 
Judith  Armistead  in  the  ways  of  the  Church  of  England  to  Christian 
womanhood.  She  became  the  wife  of  Robert  Carter,  of  Lancaster 
county,  Virginia,  and  thus  the  ancestress  of  that  Christian  gentleman 
and  soldier — a  star  of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  Church  Militant, 
General  Robert  Edward  Lee. 

Such  was  the  work  that  was  being  done  by  "The  Old  Church  in  this 
New  Land,"  in  former  days,  that  the  enemy  of  all  righteousness  sowed 
seed  about  and  within  her  to  injure  her  usefulness.  Though  the  Church 
in  Gloucester  and  throughout  Virginia  and  in  the  other  Colonies  was 
prostrate  after  the  Revolution,  God,  as  of  old,  was  watching  over  her, 
abiding  His  time  to  raise  her  up  and  send  her  forward  upon  her  great 
commission  to  aid  in  the  evangelization  of  mankind.  Let  us,  then, 
cease  casting  aspersions  upon  her  and  upon  our  forefathers  within  her 
fold,  and  instead,  pray  for  her  greater  cleansing  and  labor  for  her  up- 
building. 


SUFFOLK  PARISH,  NANSEMOND  COUNTY. 
VIRGINIA. 

BY    THE    REV.    JOHN    B.    DUNX,    RECTOR   OF    ST.    PAUL'S    CHURCH,    SUFFf)I.K,    VA. 

EN  the  year  1639,  five  years  after  the  establishment  of  Wariasquy- 
oake  as  a  shire,  the  latter  was  subdivided  into  counties,  one  of 
which  was  called  Upper  Norfolk.  This  name  was  changed  in 
1645-6  to  Nansimum,  which  subsequently  appears  under  a  variety 
of  spellings,  as  Nandsamund,  Nanzemund,  Nansemum  and  Nansemund, 
until  finally  it  assumed  its  present  form  of  Nansemond.  In  1642  the 
county  was  divided  into  three  parishes  to  be  known  as  South,  East 
and  West,  respectively.  The  statute  provides  that  "the  gleab  and 
parsonage  that  now  is"  shall  be  appropriated  to  East  Parish.  As  there 
was  a  resident  minister  in  the  county  before  1642,  it  is  natural  to  infer 
that  there  was  a  church  there.  No  record  of  the  site  or  character 
of  this  building  is  extant.  The  names  of  the  parishes  as  South,  East 
and  West  soon  gave  way  to  other  names,  for  in  1680  they  are  referred 
to  as  Upper  (South),  Lower  (East),  and  Chicokatuck  (West).  In 
this  year  for  the  first  time,  we  learn  the  names  of  the  clergy  resident 
in  the  county.  Upper  Parish  was  served  by  the  Rev.  John  Gregory; 
Lower  Parish  by  the  Rev.  John  Wood,  and  Chicokatuck  (Chuckatuck) 
by  Rev.  William  Housden,  who  served  in  Isle  of  Wight  also. 

As  early  as  1635  Nansemond  attracted  the  attention  of  settlers.  In 
that  year  George  West  granted  to  Richard  Bennett  2,000  acres  on 
Nansemond  river,  for  importing  forty  persons.  Bennett  played  a  con- 
spicuous part  in  the  life  of  the  county  and  Colony.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Governor's  Council,  but  he  was  a  Roundhead.  He  gathered 
about  him  numbers  of  the  same  political  and  religious  creed.  In 
1641  he  sent  his  brother  to  New  England  to  request  that  some  Puritan 
ministers  be  sent  to  Virginia.  These  ministers  gained  their  strongest 
foothold  in  Nansemond,  where  a  flourishing  church  numbering  118 
members  was  soon  organized,  and  they  chose  as  their  minister  Rev. 
Mr.  Harrison,  who  had  formerly  been  Governor  Berkeley's  chaplain, 
but  had  turned  Puritan.  The  rapid  growth  of  the  Independents  dis- 
turbed the  mind  of  the  authorities,  and  active  measures  were  taken 
to  suppress  them.     Religion  and  politics  were  practically  synonymous 


231 

in  those  days,  and  independence  in  religion  spelled  disloyalty  in 
politics.  England  was  in  the  midst  of  the  fierce  struggle  between 
King  and  Parliament,  and  Virginia  was  strongly  loyalist. 

In  1648,  a  few  months  before  the  execution  of  Charles  I.,  pressure 
was  brought  to  bear  on  the  Nansemond  Independents,  and  William 
Durand,  one  of  their  elders,  was  banished.  Durand  was  a  citizen  of 
Lower  Norfolk,  but  was  associated  with  the  Nansemond  Independents. 
He  retired  to  Maryland.  He  is  frequently  confused  in  the  histories  of 
Virginia  with  George  Durand,  who  many  years  later  migrated  to 
North  Carolina  and  settled  there.  Next  Rev.  Mr.  Harrison  was  expelled 
from  the  Colony,  and  then  their  other  teachers  were  banished;  and 
when  the  congregation  stubbornly  held  to  the  Church  of  their  choice, 
some  of  them  were  imprisoned. 

So  far  the  Council  had  been  unable  to  break  their  spirit,  but  an  order 
to  disarm  all  Independents  having  been  given,  the  spirit  of  resistance 
was   quenched. 

A  number  of  these  dissenters  having  been  invited  by  Governor  Stone, 
Lord  Baltimore's  deputy,  retired  to  Maryland,  and  are  remembered 
as  among  the  founders  of  Anne  Arundel  county  in  that  State. 

Among  those  who  left  were  Richard  Bennett  and  William  Ayres. 
These  refugees  prospered  in  their  new  abode,  and  others,  induced  by 
their  example,  removed  thither.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  they 
became  dissatisfied  with  the  proprietory  government  of  Roman  Catholic 
Maryland,  and  they  were  the  leaders  in  the  fierce  civil  war  waged  a 
few  years  later  in  Maryland,  between  Protestants  and  Catholics. 

Another  body  of  Dissenters  in  the  county  fared  better  than  the 
Puritans;.  This  was  the  Society  of  Friends.  This  Society  was  found- 
ed in  1648.  As  early  as  1656  some  of  this  sect  arrived  in  Boston  but 
were  sent  back  to  England.  In  1657  laws  were  passed  in  Massachu- 
setts to  prevent  the  introduction  of  Quakers,  but  they  flocked  thither 
nevertheless.  Virginia  also  strove  to  keep  them  out  of  the  Colony. 
In  the  wild  enthusiasm  of  the  first  years  of  their  existence  many  of  the 
Quakers  were  fanatics,  courting  martyrdom.  They  made  mock  of 
established  institutions  and  rulers,  interrupted  public  worship,  and 
refused  obedience  to  the  law  of  the  land.  These  fanatics  gave  to  the 
Society  a  bad  name,  and  beginning  with  1660,  stringent  laws  against 
ihem  were  passed  by  the  Virginia  Assembly.  Captains  were  fined  for 
bringing  them  into  the  Colony.  All  of  them  were  to  be  apprehended 
and  committed  until  they  should  give  security  that  they  would  leave 
the  Colony.     If  they  returned  they  were  to  be  punished,  and  return- 


232 

ing  the  second  time  they  were  to  proceeded  against  as  felons.  It  was 
•Provided,  however,  that  if  the  convicted  Quakers  should  give  security 
not  to  meet  in  unlawful  assembly  they  should  be  discharged  without 
any  punishment  whatever.  It  was  only  against  organized  opposition 
to  the  government  and  Institutions  that  the  law  was  directed.  The 
Colony  did  not  interfere  with  the  individual  unless  he  with  others 
combined  against  the  law  of  the  land.  Even  when  a  member  of  the 
Assembly  was  accui>ed  of  being  a  Quaker,  he  was  not  expelled  till  he 
had  refused  to  take  the  oaths  of  allegiance  and  supremacy.  Notwith- 
standing the  efforts  of  the  Assembly,  the  Quakers  increased,  and  con- 
tinued to  hold  meetings. 

In  1672  George  Fox,  the  founder  of  the  Society,  visited  Virginia. 
Fox  found  a  fruitful  field  of  labor  in  Nansemond.  He  had  meetings 
"at  Nansemond  river,  where  Col.  Dew,  of  the  Council,  and  several 
officers  and  magistrates  attended,  and  at  Somerton;  also  at  Widow 
Wright's  in  Nansemond,  where  many  magistrates,  officers  and  other 
high  people  came."  The  effects  of  Fox's  labors  were  lasting  and  a 
large  element  of  the  present  citizens  of  the  county  number  Quakers 
among  their  ancestors.  Even  the  great  man  of  the  county,  Richard 
Bennett,  fell  under  the  spell  of  Fox;  for  George  Edmondson,  the  com- 
panion of  Fox,  wrote  of  Bennett:  "He  was  a  solid,  wise  man,  received 
the  truth,  and  died  in  the  same,  leaving  tv/o  Friends  his  executors." 

The  records  of  the  Chuckatuck  meeting-house  (1(573-1728),  a  copy  of 
which  is  in  the  possession  of  the  writer,  show  that  the  Quakers  were 
numerous  and  practically  unmolested.  They  had  four  meeting-houses 
in  the  county,  "built  by  the  highway  side."  Their  martyrology 
is  a  brief  one,  the  most  conspicuous  martyr  being  Thomas  Jordan. 
The  sketch  of  this  worthy  is  characteristic.  "Thomas  Jordan,  of 
Chuckatuck  in  Nansemond  county  in  Virginia,  was  born  in  ye  year 
1634  and  in  ye  year  1660  he  Received  ye  truth  and  Abode  faitbt'ull  in 
it,  and  in  constant  unity  with  ye  faithfull  friends  thereof;  and  stood 
in  opposition  against  all  wrong  and  Desateful  spirits,  having  suffered 
ye  spoiling  of  his  goods  and  ye  imprisonment  of  his  Body  for  ye 
truth's  sake  and  continued  in  ye  truth  unto  the  End  of  his  dayes." 
Jordan  refused  to  pay  tithes  and  defied  the  magistrates  in  court.  He 
was  sent  on  to  the  Governor's  Council,  where  he  was  dismissed  with 
a  reprimand. 

In  1703  Governor  Nicholson  became  involved  in  a  quarrel  with 
the  vestry  of  Chuckatuck  Parish  which  became  so  bitter  that  it 
finally  involved  most  of  the  prominent  men  in  the  country.     Nicholson 


233 

sent  to  all  the  vestries  the  opinion  of  Sir  Edward  Northy,.  upholding 
the  Governor's  claim  of  the  right  to  fill  a  vacancy  of  long  standing 
in  a  church;  and  the  right  to  force  vestries  to  present  their  ministers 
for  induction.  The  vestry  of  Chuckatuck  recorded,  as  they  were  or- 
dered to  do,  the  opinion  of  the  King's  attorney,  but  added  this  reso- 
lution to  it:  "But  as  to  presenting  our  present  or  any  other  minister 
for  induction,  are  not  of  opinion  (record  is  here  illegible),  but  are 
willing  to  entertain  our  present  minister  upon  the  usual  terms,  as 
formerly  hath  been  used  in  this  Colony." 

A  leading  member  of  that  vestry  was;  Capt.  Thomas  Swann,  who 
was  a  candidate  for  election  to  the  Assembly.  Nicholson  was  bitterly 
hostile  to  Swann  for  his  action  in  the  vestry;  and  tried  to  bring  about 
his  defeat.  He  carried  his  hostility  even  to  the  friends  of  Swann.  He 
turned  out  of  office  Daniel  Sullivan,  the  efficient  county  clerk,  because  he 
voted  and  worked  for  Swann,  and  substituted  a  wholly  incompetent 
man  in  his  place.  The  court  refused  to  accept  the  Governor's  ap- 
pointee, and  Nicholson  immediately  turned  six  of  the  eight  justices 
out  of  office.  Four  members  of  the  court  were  vestrymen  of  Chuck- 
atuck. He  went  even  further.  He  cancelled  the  commission  of  Thomas 
Godwin,  colonel  of  militia.  Godwin  was  also  a  member  of  the  recal- 
citrant vestry.  Nicholson's  arbitrary  behavior  in  this  matter,  for 
in  every  case  he  proceeded  without  consulting  the  Council,  was  one 
of  the  charges  brought  against  him  by  Commissary  Blair. 

In  1703,  Rev.  William  Rudd  resigned  the  church  in  Norfolk  to  be- 
come minister  at  Chuckatuck.  He  served  there  for  some  years  and 
was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Hassell.  In  1728  Colonel  Byrd 
passed  through  the  county  and  notes  that  he  "passed  no  less  than  two 
Quaker  meeting  houses,"  and  adds:  "That  persuasion  prevails  much 
in  the  lower  end  of  Nansemond  county  for  want  of  ministers  to  pilot 
the  people  a  decenter  way  to  Heaven." 

Sometime  about  1725  Chuckatuck  and  Lower  Parish  were  united 
to  form  one  parish  and  called  Suffolk  Parish.  The  name  of  the  parish 
antedates  the  town  of  Suffolk  by  at  least  seventeen  years,  and  strangely 
enough,  Suffolk  is  not  in  Suffolk  Parish,  but  in  the  Upper  Parish  of 
Nansemond.  The  union  was  brought  about  upon  the  petition  of  the 
two  vestries,  representing  their  inability  separately  to  support  a  min- 
ister, but  the  arrangement  was  unsatisfactory  from  the  beginning. 
The  first  evidence  of  bad  feeling  is  shown  in  the  will  of  John  Yeates, 
dated  1731.  This  will  is  a  long  and  interesting  document.  It  provides 
a   liberal   endowment  for  two   free   schools   in   Lower   Parish,   already 


234 

built  by  the  testator.  He  gives  £10  in  cash  "to  buy  books  for  the 
poorer  sort  of  inhabitants  in  the  parish,  as  the  Whole  Duty  of  Man; 
also  for  procuring  Testaments,  Psalters,  Primers,  for  my  several 
schools." 

He  gives  to  the  church  a  pulpit  cloth  and  cushion;  also  a  silver 
flagon  and  silver  chalice,  and  silver  plate.  He  gives  to  the  church  for 
the  use  of  the  minister.  Bishop  Hall's  works  in  large  folio,  and  Bishop 
Usher's  "Sum  and  Substance  of  the  Christian  Religion;"  also  a  large 
Bible.  He  bequeaths  to  "my  friends,  and  gentlemen  of  the  vestry 
living  this  side  of  the  river,  a  treat  at  my  house,"  and  to  "my  worthy 
friends,  the  worshipful  court  of  Nansemond  county,  ten  shillings  to 
drink  for  my  sake."  He  especially  provides  that  Chuckatuck  Parish 
shall  not  be  the  beneficiary  of  his  will,  for  "I  never  was  a  gainer,  or 
the  Lower  Parish,  by  Chuckatuck  Parish,  but  the  contrary." 

In  1737  the  vestry  of  Suffolk  Parish  "upon  evident  proof  of  the 
ruinous  condition  of  the  church"  in  Lower  Parish,  gave  order  for  the 
erection  of  a  new  brick  church,  at  the  place  called  Jordan's  Mill  Hill, 
as  more  convenient  than  the  old  site.  The  members  of  the  vestry  from 
the  Chuckatuck  side  of  the  river  refused  to  assist  in  the  work,  and  the 
matter  was  appealed  to  the  Governor  in  Council,  who  ordered  the 
immediate  erection  of  the  building.  This  order  of  Council  fixes  the 
date  of  the  erection  of  the  Glebe  church  (or  Bennett's  Creek  church, 
as  it  is  called  in  the  Vestry  Book)  as  1738.  The  Council  also  ordered 
that  since  Chuckatuck  had  a  majority  in  the  vestry  and  seemed  de- 
termined to  maintain  it,  none  of  the  inhabitants  of  Chuckatuck  should 
be  chosen  vestrymen  until  there  be  an  equal  number  of  vestrymen 
from  each  side  of  the  river. 

The  old  Vestry  Book  of  the  parish  begins  with  the  year  1749,  during 
the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  John  McKenzie.  At  his  death  in  1754  the 
Rev.  John  Agnew  was  chosen  minister.  In  1755  the  present  church  at 
Chuckatuck  was  built,  near  the  site  of  the  ancient  one.  In  1758  the 
vestry  of  Suffolk  Parish  was  dissolved,  by  act  of  Assembly,  on  peti- 
.  tion  of  the  inhabitants  of  Lower  Parish.  The  vestry  held  in  trust  for 
the  Lower  Parish  valuable  lands  and  a  cash  donation  from  Richard 
Bennett,  Thomas  Tilly,  and  Richard  Bennett,  Jr.  According  to  the 
terms  of  the  bequests,  the  poor  of  Lower  Parish  alone  were  to  bene- 
ficiaries. The  vestry  of  the  united  parishes  allowed  the  Chuckatuck 
members  of  their  body  to  colonize  the  poor  of  Chuckatuck  in  Lower 
Parish,  and  thus  receive  the  benefit  of  the  Bennett  and  Tilly  bequests. 
The  vestry,   whose  life-tenure   of  ofiice  was  apt  to  make   them   arbi- 


Wl. 


-w**   -  ••» 


id 


235 

tiary  in  their  dealings,  were  tauglit  that  they  were  the  representatives 
of  the  people  and  responsible  to  them  for  good  conduct  in  office. 

Some  of  the  items  entered  upon  the  Vestry  Book  bring  a  smile  to 
the  reader  of  to-day:  The  order  for  the  payment  of  500  pounds  of 
tobacco  to  the  doctor,  "for  salevating  Mary  Brinkley  and  keeping 
her  salevated,"  is  not  a  record  of  persecution,  but  of  l<^indly  care  for 
one  of  the  parish  poor. 

In  1775  the  Assembly  passed  a  law  tliat  every  person  receiving  aid 
from  the  parish  should,  "upon  the  shoulder  of  the  right  sleeve,  in  an 
open  and  visible  manner,  wear  a  badge  with  tlie  name  of  the  parish 
cut  either  in  blue,  red  or  green  cloth,  and  if  any  poor  person  neglect 
or  refuse  to  wear  such  badge,  his  or  her  allowance  shall  be  withdrawn 
or  the  offender  whipped  not  exceeding  five  lashes  for  each  offense." 
This  law  seems  to  have  been  a  dead  letter  in  most  parishes,  but  it 
was  rigidly  enforced  in  Suffolk  Parish,  at  least  to  the  extent  of  pro- 
viding the  badges  and  making  the  allowance  to  the  poor  conditional 
on  their  wearing  the  badge. 

The  provision  in  Yeates'  will  for  "a  treat  at  my  house  to  my  friends, 
the  gentlemen  of  the  vestry,"  was  not  in  jest,  but  a  recognition  of  the 
convivial  habits  of  those  gentlemen;  for  we  read  in  the  list  of  parish 
expenses  an  order  for  the  payment  of  200  pounds  of  tobacco  to  William 
Johns  "for  the  use  of  his  house  for  vestry  meeting  and  for  liquor." 

Forty  pounds  of  tobacco  is  ordered  to  be  paid  "to  tlie  Rev'd  Agnew 
for  his  wife  washing  the  surplis." 

In  1764  the  Assembly  passed  an  act  whereby  the  ministers  and  people 
should  be  exempt  from  ferriage  when  crossing  the  river  to  attend 
service;  and  that  such  ferriage  be  paid  by  the  vestry  from  the  parish 
levy.  The  vestry  sent  a  committee  to  Williamsburg  and  succeeded 
in  having  this  act  repealed,  except  in  regard  to  the  minister. 

When  the  trouble  with  Great  Britain  began  Nansemond  organized 
its  County  Committee.  This  committee  was  very  active  from  the 
beginning.  Parson  Agnew,  the  minister,  was  a  zealous  supporter  of 
the  British  cause,  and  open  in  his  condemnation  of  the  growing 
spirit  of  independence.  In  the  spring  of  1775  Parson  Agnew  was  ob- 
served to  visit  actively  among  his  congregation,  urging  them  to  full 
attendance  upon  a  certain  Sunday.  The  ladies,  especially,  were  in- 
vited. On  the  appointed  Sunday  the  church  was  filled  with  women, 
while  a  crowd  of  men,  numbering  500,  stood  outside  and  listened 
through  the  windows.  The  minister  read  the  prayer  for  the  King, 
and  no  word  of  disapproval  was  heard.     He  chose  for  his  text,  "Render 


236 

unto  Cseesar  the  things  that  are  Ccesar's";  and  his  hearers  pricked 
up  their  ears,  for  they  knew  what  was  coming.  He  proceeded  to 
decry  the  sins  of  disloyalty  and  rebellion.  Suddenly  Mr.  William 
Cowper,  a  vestryman  and  magistrate,  left  his  seat  in  the  magistrates' 
pew,  and,  mounting  the  pulpit,  ordered  the  speaker  to  come  down. 
"I  am  doing  my  Master's  business,"  said  the  parson. 

"Which  master?"  replied  Cowper;  "your  Master  in  heaven  or  your 
master  over  the  seas?  You  must  leave  this  church,  or  I  will  use 
force.' 

"I  will  never  be  the  cause  of  breeding  riot  in  my  Master's  house," 
said  Agnew. 

The  minister  then  came  down  from  the  pulpit  and  walked  down 
the  aisle  and  through  the  crowd  at  the  church  door,  which  parted  to 
make  a  passage  for  him.  He  entered  his  carriage  and  drove  away. 
The  congregation  quietly  dispersed  and  Parson  Agnew  never  again 
entered  the  church  that  he  had  served  for  so  many  years.  The  parson, 
though  driven  from  his  pulpit,  continued  his  activity  against  what  he 
deemed  a  great  wrong.  He  was  warned  by  the  County  Committee, 
but  he  still  persisted.  The  matter  grew  so  grave  that  he  was  finally 
arrested.  The  affair  caused  a  great  deal  of  talk  in  the  county  and 
throughout  the  Colony.  In  some  quarters  the  people  were  much 
criticized  for  their  treatment  of  the  minister.  In  order  to  justify  their 
action,  the  committee,  through  its  secretary,  Mr.  John  Gregory,  sent 
to  the  Virginia  Gazette  a  recital  of  the  charges  against  Agnew. 

Virginia  Gazette,  April  8,  1775. — "Charges  against  Parson  Agnew: 
He  asserted  that  it  was  no  hardship  to  be  carried  beyond  sea  for 
trial  of  crimes  committed  here.  He  declared,  when  speaking  of  the 
Congress,  that  all  such  combinations  and  associations  were  de- 
testable; that  the  Congress  did  not  know  what  they  were  about;  that 
the  designs  of  the  great  men  were  to  ruin  the  poor  people,  and  that 
after  awhile  they  would  forsake  them  and  lay  the  whole  blame  on 
their  shoulders,  and  by  this  means  make  them  slaves.  He  likewise 
informed  Mr.  Smith  there  was  an  association  of  the  other  party  up 
the  county  and  the  people  were  signing  it  fast;  that  they  had  dis- 
covered their  error  in  signing  the  present  one.  Upon  the  whole,  the 
public  will  plainly  discover  the  principles  this  Reverend  Gentleman 
entertains  and  in  what  light  he  views  the  general  resolutions  adopted 
and  entered  into  for  our  relief  from  the  oppressive  hand  of  power. 
Had  this  zealous  advocate  for  deppotic  rule  been  as  assiduous  in  the 


237 

discharge  of  the  several  duties  of  his  function,  as  he  has  been  indus- 
trious in  propagating  false  and  erroneous  principles,  not  only  in  private 
discourse,  but  in  blending  detestable  tenets  in  his  angry  orations 
from  the  pulpit,  in  order  to  gain  a  party  in  opposition  to  the  common 
cause,  and  thereby  lending  his  aid  to  seduce  the  very  people  that  gave 
him  bread,  to  a  state  of  wretchedness,  this  committee  had  not  been 
at  the  trouble  to  examine  the  11th  article  of  the  Association,  and  open- 
ing his  conduct  to  the  censure  of  the  world. 

"John  Gbegorie   (C.  C.)" 

The  vestry  also  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  upon  the  Convention 
"with  a  true  representation  of  the  conduct  and  behavior  of  the  Rev. 
John  Agnew."  Agnew  appealed  from  the  sentence  of  Court  of  Com- 
missioners for  Nansemond  county,  and  his  appeal  was  heard  by  the 
Committee  of  Safety  on  April  10,  1776.  The  minutes  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety  from  April  10th  to  April  20th  are  lost,  so  we  have  no 
knowledge  of  the  result  of  the  appeal.  He  left  the  county  sometime 
during  1776  and  entered  the  British  service,  becoming  chaplain  of 
the  Queen's  Rangers,  in  which  troop  his  son,  Stair  Agnew,  was 
a  captain.  He  and  his  son  were  taken  prisoners  during  the  Revolu- 
tion and  carried  to  France.  In  the  Virginia  Convention  of  May,  1776, 
which  gave  to  the  State  its  first  Constitution,  William  Cowper,  who 
had  won  popularity  by  his  action  in  expelling  Agnew  from  the  church, 
was  chosen  to  represent  the  county. 

In  September,  1777,  Rev.  William  Bland  was  elected  minister  of  the 
parish,  but  there  is  no  record  that  he  ever  served.  In  October,  1778, 
Rev.  Henry  John  Burges  was  received  as  minister.  Just  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burges  an  event  occurred  which  figures  prom- 
inently in  Baptist  martyrology.  In  1778  David  Barrow,  pastor  of  the 
Mill  Swamp  Baptist  church,  in  Isle  of  Wight,  which  had  existed  for 
many  years  previous,  and  Mr.  Mintz,  another  Baptist  minister,  preached 
by  invitation  at  the  house  of  a  gentleman  on  Nansemond  river,  in 
Lower  Parish.  A  platform  was  erected  and  a  crowd  assembled.  The 
preaching  of  the  two  Baptists  stirred  up  ill-feeling,  and  a  number  of 
young  fellows  determined  to  break  up  the  meeting.  They  jeered  and 
sung  songs.  This  behavior  naturally  brought  on  them  a  stinging  re- 
buke from  the  preacher.  There  is  no  record  of  what  he  said,  but  in 
the  end  about  twenty  men  leaped  upon  the  platform  and  captured 
the  two  preachers  and  carried  them  down  to  the  river,  near  at  hand, 
and  ducked  them.     Barrow  was  the  chief  sufferer,  as  they  thrust  his 


238 

face  down  into  the  mud.  Mintz,  who  had  given  less  occasion  for  ill- 
feeling,  was  let  off  more  easily.  The  affair  was  evidently  the  outcome 
of  the  reckless  spirit  of  a  crowd  of  youths,  who  resented  the  criticism 
of  themselves  and  their  class;  and  only  the  fevered  imagination  of  a 
pious  chronicler  could  make  it  appear  as  a  part  of  a  systematic  per- 
secution by  the  Established  Church.  Attention  is  called  to  this  in- 
cident, for  it  is  a  characteristic  example  of  that  persecution  by  the 
Church  of  which  we  read  so  much  in  the  political  briefs  against  the 
Colonial  Church.  The  concluding  words  of  the  record  of  this  event 
in  the  Baptist  Book  of  Martyrs  is  mediaeval  in  its  flavor:  "Before  these 
persecuted  men  could  change  their  clothes  they  were  dragged  from 
the  house  and  driven  off  by  these  enraged  Churchmen.  But  three  or 
four  of  them  died  in  a  few  weeks  in  a  distracted  manner,  and  one 
of  them  wished  himself  in  hell  before  he  had  joined  the  company." 

The  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burges  was  very  acceptable  to  the 
people.  Six  months  after  he  entered  upon  his.  office  a  committee  of 
the  vestry  is  appointed  "to  see  if  it  would  be  any  disadvantage  to 
build  one  or  two  small  galleries  in  the  Chuckatuck  church,  as  the 
church  is  much  crowded  and  there  is  so  large  a  congregation  commonly 
attending  the  church  that  there  is  not  room  in  the  pews  for  their 
reception." 

In  1779,  Asbury,  the  great  leader  of  Methodism,  labored  in  Nanse- 
mond  county.  He  mentions  in  his  diary  of  that  year  that  he  preached 
in  "the  great  preaching  house  in  Nansemond."  This  preaching  house 
had  been  converted  from  a  store  into  a  church. 

In  1784,  the  Rev.  Arthur  Emerson  was  elected  minister.  In  178(5. 
one  hundred  and  forty-six  names  of  the  inhabitants  of  Suffolk  Parish 
are  signed  to  a  petition  to  the  Legislature  protesting  against  the  re- 
peal of  the  law  incorporating  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

There  is  no  entry  in  the  Vestry  Book  from  1784  to  1825. 

The  act  of  Legislature  requiring  all  glebe  lands  to  be  sold  and  the 
proceeds  turned  over  to  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  made  exception  in 
case  of  those  glebes  which  had  been  a  private  donation.  The  overseers 
of  the  poor  claimed  the  glebe  in  Suffolk  Parish,  but  the  Rev.  Jacob 
Keeling,  minister  of  the  parish  at  the  time,  fought  the  case  in  the 
courts  and  won  his  case.  The  valuable  glebe  farm  is  still  held  by  the 
trustees  of  the  parish. 

Rev.  Mr.  Keeling  was  minister  for  many  years,  but  there  is  no 
record   covering  the   time    of   his   service. 


239 

In  1827  Rev.  Mark  L.  Chevers  was  chosen  minister. 

After  about  1840  Suffolk  Parish  was  served  for  many  years  by  the 
minister  of  Upper  Parish,  who  lived  in  Suffolk. 

In  1845  Chuckatuck  church  is  referred  to  for  the  first  time  as  St. 
John's. 

The  Glebe  church,  in  Lower  Parish,  is  now  under  the  care  of  Rev. 
E.  P.  Miner,  of  Norfolk.  St.  John's,  Chuckatuck,  has  no  minister  at 
present. 


THE  COLONIAL  CHURCHES  OF  YORK  COUNTY. 

VIRGINIA. 

BY    MRS.    MARY    I).    MKOU.    THEOUXUCAL   SKM  I N  AKY.    FAIRFAX    COUNTY.    VA. 

THE  small  county  of  York  held  within  its  narrow  hounds  the  nu- 
cleus of  early  Colonial  life  and  strength.  Very  near  the  first 
seat  of  government  at  Jamestown  and  afterwards  halving  with 
James  City  county,  the  new  business  home  of  Governor  and 
Burgesses,  it  numbered  among  the  planters  those  who  influenced  the 
destinies  of  all  the  other  counties. 

There  were  three  distinct  Church  parishes  within  its  bounds.  Charles 
Parish  a^  New  Poquoson,  on  Poquoson  river,  was  in  the  lower  part  of 
the  county  and  was  called  New  Poquoson,  in  contradistinction  to  Old 
Poquoson  or  Elizabeth  City.  It  was  ordered  by  the  House  of  Burgesses, 
Dec.  11,  1692,  that  "upon  the  peticon  of  ye  pishioners  of  New  Poquoson 
in  ye  county  of  Yorke  yt  from  henceforth  forever  hereafter  ye  old 
pish  Church  shall  be  called  and  named  Charles  Church.  And  ye  river 
formerly  called  New  Poquoson  river  shall  from  time  to  time  and  all 
times  hereafter  be  called  and  written,  Charles  river."  The  parish  be- 
came known  as  Charles  Parish,  but  the  river  is  Poquoson  river.  This 
parish  as  New  Poquoson  had  alreaay  existed  over  forty  years. 

In  the  north  of  the  county  were  the  other  two  parishes,  Kiskyache, 
settled  in  1630,  Yorke  in  1632.  In  1633  the  seventh  of  the  stores  for 
receiving  and  shipping  purposes  ordered  to  be  built  in  the  different 
plantations  were  built  on  Charles  river  for  the  inhabitants  of  Kis- 
kyache and  Yorke.  Kiskyache  was  made  a  parish  in  1642,  and  when 
Charles  river  county  was  changed  in  name  to  York,  the  name  of 
Kiskyache  was  changed  to  Hampton  Parish. 

The  first  rector  of  Yorke  and  Hampton  parishes  was  Rev.  Anthony 
Panton,  in  1639-40.  He  became  involved  in  an  undignified  squabble 
with  Richard  Kempe,  secretary  of  the  Colony,  whom  he  spoke  of  as 
a  "jackanapes"  and  criticized  the  untidiness  of  his  personal  appearance. 
Richard  Kempe  took  his  revenge  by  having  him  deprived  of  his  charge. 
Anthony  Panton  appealed  to  England,  bringing  serious  charges  against 
Kempe  of  mismanagement  in  public  affairs.  Kempe  was  recalled 
and  the  charges  against  Panton  were  ordered  to  be  inquired  into,  and 


241 

if  innocent  of  them  he  was  to  be  reinstated  in  his  parishes  of  Yorl^e  and 
Hampton,  which  latter  is  described  as  being  between  Williamsburg 
and  Yorke.  (Neill's  Virginia  Carolorum.) 

"Parson  Cluverius  was  rector  of  Yorke-Hampton  in  1644."  (Virginia 
Historical  Magazine.)  Bishop  Meade  states  that  an  old  tombstone  in 
Yorke  county  reads,  "Hev.  Thomas  Hampton,  rector  of  Yorke  in  1647.'" 

In  1642  a  contract  was  made  to  build  a  church  in  Yorke.  (Yorke  Re- 
cords.) The  so-called  "Temple  Farm"  was  the  site  of  old  Yorke 
church  and  there  is  r.  deed  recorded  in  Yorktown  about  1769  which  calls 
the  field  in  which  the  so-called  temple  stood,  "The  Church  Field." 
What  is  pointed  out  as  a  temple  ruin  is  old  Yorke  church,  described 
in  early  patents.    (William  and  Mary  Quarterly.) 

The  old  Yorke  church  was  abandoned  when  Yorktown  was  estab- 
lished, and  before  1700  a  new  church  was  built  there.  "To  this  once 
busy  emporium  of  trade,  the  courthouse  and  church  were  transferred — 
the  courthouse  from  the  half-way  house  on  the  road  to  Martin's 
Hundred,  and  the  church  from  the  old  forgotten  plantations  of  Martin 
Baker  and  George  Menifee.  *  *  *  Near  the  half  way  house  kept  by 
the  Hansfords  are  the  ruins  of  old  Hampton  church,  formerly  Chisiack 
church.  When  Yorke  and  Hampton  united  into  Yorke-Hampton  the 
Communion  service  belonged  to  Hampton."  (William  and  Mary 
Quarterly,  Vol.   I.-ll.) 

From  the  different  accounts  given  in  the  two  Historical  Magazines  in 
Virginia,  taken  directly  from  Yorke  county  records  and  from  the  old 
register,  all  of  which  can  easily  be  verified,  it  appears  that  up  to  1642 
the  parishes  of  Yorke  county  were  perfectly  distinct;  only  Yorke  and 
Hampton  were  often  under  the  same  minister.  Judging  by  the  old 
register,  which  begins  long  before  1692,  when  the  name  was  changed 
from  New  Poquoson  to  Charles  Parish,  this  parish  was  large  and 
flourishing,    containing   many    well    known    names. 

The  first  entry  concerning  a  rector  was  in  1687:  "Ye  Rev.  Thomas 
Finney,  rector  of  this  parish,  died  and  was  buried  in  the  chancel  of 
New  Poquoson  Church."  The  next  clergyman  came  in  1688,  Rev.  James 
Sclater.  He  died  in  1723,  after  a  quiet  ministry  of  35  years,  leading  us 
to  hope,  from  the  length  of  his  pastorate,  that  he  was  one  of  the  few 
inducted  ministers. 

It  was  during  the  very  short  interregnum  after  his  death  that  Charles 
Parish  was  reported  to  the  Bishop  of  London  as  vacant.  The  next 
rector  was  called  from  Old  Poquoson  or  Elizabeth  City;  Rev.  James 
Falconer,  who  died  in  1727.     Rev.  Theodosius  Staige   was  then  called 


242 

from  Fredericksburg.  He  died  after  a  pastorate  of  20  years,  m  1747. 
In  1749  the  Rev.  Thomas  Warrington  is  mentioned  as  rector.  In  1756 
he  was  called  to  Old  Poquoson.  The  last  name  given  vv^as  Rev.  Joseph 
Davenport,  who  was  stul  rector  when  the  register  closed.  The  very 
last  entry  was  by  Rev.  Samuel  Shields  in  1789,  who  would  seem  to 
have  combined  Charles  and  Yorke-Hampton  parishes  under  the  same 
charge.  Thus  we  see  that  in  140  years  Charles  Parish  had  only  had 
six  ministers. 

In  our  review  of  Yorke-iiampton  up  to  1647  it  had  already  had  three 
clergymen.  Throughout  its  history  it  is  marked  by  constant  change 
among  its  clergy.  Probably  on  account  of  its  nearness  to  the  restless 
Church  element  in  Williamsburg  it  would  be  apt  to  be  influenced  more 
or  less  by  the  disputes  between  the  Governor  and  the  vestries,  and 
later   oetween  the  Governor  and   the  Commissary. 

Old  Yorke  church  was,  according  to  early  patents  and  records,  at 
Temple  Farm  or  "the  Old  Church  Field,"  two  or  three  miles  from 
Yorktown.  The  foundations  still  existing  measure  60  feet  east  and 
west,  46  feet  north  and  south.  Hampton  church  stood  in  Kiskyache,  or 
Chisiack,  between  Williamsburg  and  Yorktown.  "Col.  Edward  Digges 
owned  a  plantation  in  Hampton  Parish,  of  1,250  acres,  near  the  Indian 
town  of  Kiskyache."  (William  and  Mary  Quarterly.)  After  some 
time  the  parish  was  united  to  that  of  York  and  called  York-Hampton. 
The  family  seat  of  the  Digges  was  eight  miles  from  Williamsburg  and 
was  called  "Belfield." 

Rev.  William  White  was  rector  of  York  in  1658,  Rev.  James  Folliott 
in  1680,  Rev.  Stephen  Fouace  came  from  England  in  1688,  returned  and 
died  there  in  1702.  He  was  rector  of  York-Hampton  and  witnessed 
a  written  promise  from  Governor  Nicholson  to  give  the  sum  of  £20 
towards  the  building  of  a  church  in  Yorktown  if  built  within  two 
years,  to  be  built  of  brick.  This  was  in  1696.  Documentary  proof  like 
this  ought  to  settle  the  date  of  the  building  of  the  present  church.  In 
1695  Governor  Nicholson  gave  314  acres  of  land  in  Yorktown  for  a  free 
school.  In  1860  Yorktown  was  laid  out  on  land  belonging  to  Mr.  Ben- 
jamin Reade,  inherited  from  Captain  Nicholas  Martian,  who  was  Bur- 
gess for  Kiskyache.  The  courthouse  was  ordered  built  in  1691  and  all 
county  business  was  moved  there.  The  next  clergyman  we  know  of 
was  Rev.  Mr.   Goodwin,  1714. 

Then  comes  a  break  in  our  information  until  1724,  when  the  Rev. 
Francis  Fontaine  makes  a  report  to  the  Bishop  of  London,  in  which  he 
speaks   of  his   parish   thus:    "There  are   two   churches   in  this   parish 


243 

(York-Hampton),  one  in  Yorktown  and  the  other  eight  miles  distant. 
My  parish  is  twenty  miles  in  length  and  four  miles  broad.  There  are 
two  hundred  families  in  it.  In  my  church  at  Yorktown  there  are  three 
score  communicants,  at  the  other  church  about  twenty." 

It  certainly  seems  as  if  the  weight  of  evidence  puts  Hampton  church 
In  the  twelve  miles  more  or  less  between  Williamsburg  and  Yorktown, 
rather  than  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county,  where  it  would  conflict 
very  decidedly  with  the  large  and  well-cared  for  Charles  Parish. 
Bishop  Meade  himself  takes  this  view.  He  says  (Vol.  I.,  p.  197) :  "There 
was  at  an  early  period  a  small  parish  between  Williamsburg  and  York- 
town  called  Kiskyache  or  Chescake.  The  church  which  still  stands 
a  few  miles  from  Williamsburg  on  the  road  to  York  belonged  to  that 
parish."  The  Bishop  also  says  that  the  Virginia  Gazette  for  March, 
1746,  says  that  the  plate  given  the  church-  by  Nathaniel  Bacon  had 
been  stolen.  (This  was  not  the  Nathaniel  Bacon  of  notorious  mem- 
ory, but  a  near  kinsman.)  This  was  the  plate  of  York-Hampton 
church;  perhaps  that  is  the  reason  that  in  1748  Philip  Lightfoot  in  his 
will  leaves  £50  to  buy  a  'silver  flaggon  and  challice,'  to  be  engraved 
with  his  arms,  for  York-Hampton  Church."  Be  that  as  it  may  the  ola 
Communion  service  of  Hampton  Parish  has  been  transferred  to  York- 
town,  where  it  is  still  in  use.  It  is  engraved  "Hampton  Parish  in 
Yorke  County,  Virginia."  The  hall-mark  shows  it  was  made  in  1649. 
The  service  has  one  flagon  10%  inches  high  and  one  cup  8i/^  inches. 
The   plate  is   modern,  not  solid  silver. 

The  present  church  of  Yorktown,  probably  the  same  one  to  which 
Governor  Nicholson  subscribed  in  1696,  stands  upon  an  elevation  about 
50  feet  above  the  river  and  about  z50  or  300  feet  from  the  water.  It  is 
built  of  a  sort  of  marl  stone  taken  from  the  hills  overlooking  the  river. 
When  it  was  burnt  in  1815  the  action  of  the  fire  made  the  stone  still 
firmer,  so  that  it  was  easily  rebuilt.  The  old  church  was  in  the  shape 
of  a  T  situated  east  and  west.  When  it  was  rebuilt  the  wings  of  the 
T  were  left  off,  making  only  a  nave  60  by  30  feet.  The  foundations  of 
the  wings  have  been  filled  up  with  rubbish  and  are  distinctly  visible, 
the   walls   being  2^/^   feet  thick. 

In  1758  the  Rev.  John  Camm  was  rector  of  York-Hampton.  He 
brought  the  parish  into  prominence  by  the  strong  stand  he  took  with 
regard  to  the  payment  of  the  clergy  in  money;  the  paper  currency 
which  was  good  only  in  the  Colony,  allowing  the  small  sum  of  only 
two  pence  a  pound  for  the  tobacco,  which  had  formerly  been  the 
medium  of  pay  between  the  vestry  and  the  minister,  thus  depriving  the 


244 

clergy  of  the  benefit  of  any  fluctuation  in  the  price  of  that  commodity. 
Mr.  Camm  not  only  resented  this  for  himself,  but  he  determined  to 
fight  it  out  for  his  brother  clergy,  making  his  the  test  case.  He  fought 
it  first  before  the  home  government,  then  carried  it  to  England.  He 
gained  his  point  there,  the  Royal  Commission  ordering  the  annulment 
of  the  law;  but  there  was  such  bitter  feeling  against  the  royal  decision 
that  when  the  case  came  up  before  the  Virginia  Assembly  he  was  award- 
ed one  penny  damages.  The  second  time  it  was  referred  to  England, 
and  the  King  and  his  officers  refused  to  interfere  again. 

Twice  in  the  history  of  the  Church  in  Virginia  did  vital  interests 
depend  upon  individual  action.  The  two  Nelsons,  the  president  and  sec- 
retary, refused  to  sit  upon  the  board  because  they  belonged  to  Mr. 
Camm's  parish  and  were  opposed  to  the  measure,  thus  leaving  a  ma- 
jority of  one  for  instead  of  against  it.  If  they  had  consented  to  serve 
it  would  have  been  a  majority  of  one  against  it  and  probably  it  would 
have  dropped. 

When  the  question  of  taking  away  the  glebe. lands  came  up  years 
later  Judge  Pendleton  had  written  his  decision  against  the  legality 
of  the  act,  carrying  with  him  the  weighing  vote.  Dying  suddenly,  he 
had  not  signed  the  paper,  and  his  successor  rendering  an  adverse  de- 
cision, the  great  injustice  was  an  accomplished  fact. 

In  1785,  when  the  Convention  was  held  in  Richmond,  Yorktown 
church  was  represented  by  Rev.  Robert  Andrews,  and  Charles  Parish 
by  Rev.  Joseph  Davenport.  The  church  in  Yorktown  had  seen  sad 
days,  alternately  in  the  hands  of  British  and  Continental  troops  and 
many  of  its  best  men  in  the  service  of  their  country  in  other  parts  of 
the  Colony,  it  had  been  almost  defenceless.  In  1781  "The  windows 
and  pews  having  been  broken  and  destroyed  and  the  Church  used  as  a 
magazine,  the  damages  were  valued  at  £150.  The  destruction  was 
wrought  by  Lord  Cornwallis."  (Y^ork  Co.  Records.)  Lord  Cornwallis 
surrendered  and  the  Articles  of  Capitulation  were  signed  at  Temple 
Farm. 

In  1786  and  for  many  years  Rev.  Samuel  Shields  represented  both 
Charles  Parish  and  York-Hampton  at  the  Conventions.  In  1793  Rev. 
James  Henderson  represented  them.  From  1799  to  1815  all  parish  re- 
ports were  irregular  and  Charles  and  York-Hampton  are  absent  from 
the  printed  Convention  reports.  The  church  in  Yorktown  had  probably 
not  been  rebuilt  after  it  was  burnt  in  1815,  because  Bishop  Moore  vis- 
ited Y'orktown  in  1825  and  preached  in  the  morning  at  the  courthouse 
and  in  the  afternoon  at  Mr.  Nelson's  house. 


245 

In  1825  the  Rev.  Mark  Chevers,  rector  of  Elizabeth  City,  reports:  "At 
tlie  request  of  a  few  families  in  Charles  Parish,  York  county,  I  have  for 
some  months  past  performed  divine  services  and  preached  from  house 
to  house  every  fortnight  on  Saturdays,  and  it  gives  me  great  satis- 
faction to  state  to  the  Convention  that  the  services  liave  been  well 
attended  and  a  vestry  has  recently  been  chosen  and  exertions  are 
making.  The  hope  is  entertained  that  the  love  of  the  Church  may 
yet  revive  in  the  parish.  Communicants  32;  baptisms  40;  marriages  5; 
funerals  9."  It  is  evident  from  these  last  two  items  that  the  whole  of 
York  county  was  without  a  useable  church  building. 

A  careful  perusal  of  the  Convention  reports  edited  by  Dr.  Hawks 
shows  a  greater  desire  in  the  two  Bishops,  Moore  and  Meade,  to  start 
missions  and  churches  in  the  new  counties  constantly  forming  than  to 
revive  the  old  churches  on  the  coast. 

Tradition  says  that  the  bell  was  given  by  Queen  Anne.  When  the 
church  was  burnt  the  bell  was  broken  and  the  fragments  were  laid 
aside  in  the  vestry  room.  After  the  Civil  War  those  pieces  were  found 
in  Philadelphia  by  Rev.  Mr.  Nicholson,  afterwards  Bishop  Nicholson, 
and  being  attracted  by  the  words  "Yorktown,  Virginia,  1725,"  he  wrote 
to  Rev.  Mr.  Bryan  asking  the  history  of  the  bell.  It  was  then  recast 
by  tne  Hook  Smelting  Company  in  1882,  and  on  July  11,  1889,  was  re- 
hung  on  a  rude  scaffold  in  the  churchyard,  and  rung  for  service  after 
a  silence  of  75  years. 

The  church  suffered  again  during  the  Civil  War.  Standing  as  it  did 
on  the  brow  of  a  hill  commanding  the  wide  sweep  of  water,  it  was 
an  important  point  of  view;  and  a  signal  tower  was  erected  on  top  of  it. 
The  brick  wall  was  taken  away  and  the  church  dismantled.  It  is 
hoped  that  damages  will  be  obtained  for  this  military  destruction  also. 

After  the  war  the  late  Dr.  Wharton  was  very  much  interested 
in  the  restoration  of  the  church  and  worked  hard  to  keep  the  build- 
ing from  falling  into  the  hands  of  some  other  denomination  which 
would  gladly  have  paid  for  repairing  it  for  the  sake  of  possessing  a 
historical  church. 

The  ministers  who  have  served  there  since  1835,  probably  in  connec- 
tion with  some  other  charge,  are;  Dr.  Minnigerode,  Rev.  Thomas 
Ambler,  Dr.  L.  B.  Wharton,  Rev.  A.  Y.  Hundley,  Rev.  F.  M.  Burch, 
Rev.  William  B.  Lee,  1877-99.  Rev.  Floyd  Kurtz,  1899-1901.  In  1901 
Rev.  William  B.  Lee  resumed  charge  of  the  parish,  in  connection  with 
the  churches  in  Gloucester  county.  Hampton  church  and  that  of 
Charles  Parish  have  disappeared  from  the  face  of  the  earth;   and  the 


246 

long  roll  of  their  communicants  is  called  now  in  the  heavenly  courts. 
Grace  church  alone  in  its  dual  character  of  York-Hampton,  s.tands  as  it 
has  stood  for  two  hundred  and  seven  years. 

This  article  has  already  outrun  its  limits,  so  space  fails  in  which  to 
go  over  the  list  of  prominent  families  who  once  filled  these  three 
churches.  Three  generations  of  Nelsons  lie  in  the  graveyard  there, 
who  by  their  strong  individuality  and  sterling  character  impressed 
themselves  on  the  early  history  of  Church  and  State.  The  evidence 
of  the  strong  Christian  spirit  of  these  ancestors  of  the  Nelson  family 
can  be  seen  in  the  number  of  faithful  clergy  who  have  borne  the  name 
in  the  last  fifty  years. 

In  either  the  first  or  second  volume  of  the  William  and  Mary  Quarter- 
ly is  a  list  of  the  estateo  and  families  in  the  county  of  York  during 
the  years  of  its  prosperity,  which  makes  you  feel  as  if  you  were 
riding  past  plantation  after  plantation;  and  some  of  the  names  are 
so  closely  connected  with  the  stirring  history  of  the  Colony,  that  you 
feel  as  if  you  personally  knew  the  owners  of  those  well  kept  places. 
No  douDt  there  are  many  items  of  interest  that  could  be  added  to  this 
article,  but  the  main  purpose  in  writing  it  was  to  connect  the  early 
history  of  these  three  parishes  with  the  imperfect  sketch  of  Bishop 
ivleade  in  1854.  That  has  been  accomplished,  and  also  pretty  strong 
proof  has  been  adduced  to  show  that  York-Hampton  was  really  the 
name  of  the  church  at  Yorktown  itself — a  hyphenated  name  for  the 
united   church   of  old   Yorke  and   Hampton. 


CHRIST  CHURCH,  MIDDLESEX  COUNTY, 
VIRGINIA. 

BY    THE    REV.     JOHN     MONCURE,     D.     D. 

THE  county  of  Middlesex  is  a  narrow  peninsula,  lying  between 
the   Rappahannock   and   Piankatank   rivers.     Its   eastern   boun- 
dary is  washed  by  the  waters  of  the  historic  Chesapeake  Bay, 
and   it  was  therefore  easily  accessible  to  the  earliest  settlers 
of  the  country. 

Originally,  Lancaster  county  embraced  the  territory  on  both  sides 
of  the  Rappahannock  for  many  miles.  From  this  Middlesex  was  form- 
ed on  the  southern  shore.  Records  in  the  Virginia  Land  Office  in 
Richmond  show  that  this  division  occurred  as  early  as  1G69.  The 
original  county-seat  of  Lancaster  was  located  in  what  is  now  Mid- 
dlesex. 

The  settlement  of  this  section  was  probably  as  early,  or  even 
earlier,  as  it  is  nearer  the  ocean,  than  the  present  county  of  Lancas- 
ter. Many  of  the  original  settlers  coming  from  Middlesex,  in  Eng- 
land, transferred  the  name  of  the  old  home  to  the  new,  thus  bringing 
the  mother  land  closer  to  them.  The  county  is  one  on  which  nature 
has  smiled  benignly.  R,ich  soil,  salubrious  climate,  beautiful  scenery, 
in  which  the  water  forms  a  very  attractive  feature,  and  every  facility 
known  in  Virginia  for  living  comfortably.  Some  of  the  best  people 
in  our  land  in  early  days  established  their  homes  in  this  county.  And 
some  of  the  old-time  mansions  are  still  to  be  seen,  retaining  vestiges 
of  former  grandeur  and  reminding  the  contemplative  of  the  attrac- 
tiveness  of  old-time   Virginia    life. 

Until  separation  of  the  territory  into  two  counties,  one  minister 
served  the  whole,  though  there  were  two  parishes  on  either  side  of  the 
river.  Those  on  the  south  side  were  called  Lancaster  and  Pianka- 
tank, and  in  1666  they  became  one  again,  under  the  name  of  Christ 
church,  Lancaster  county. 

Very  fortunately  the  original  Vestry  Book  has  been  preserved,  and 
from  it  much  valuable  information  has  been  obtained  in  reference  to 
the  early  Church  history  of  the  county.  This  book  Bishop  Meade  had 
access  to  when  preparing  the  article  on  the  Parishes  in  Middlesex,  in 


248 

his  "Old  Churches,  Ministers  and  Families  of  A-'irginia,"  and  for  most 
of  the  information  in  this  article  the  writer  is  indebted  to  the  matter 
which  he  obtained  therefrom. 

In  1650  the  churches  in  the  district  now  covered  by  the  two  coun- 
ties were  in  charge  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Cole.  In  1666  the  name  of 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Morris  appears  as  minister.  It  was  during  his  rector- 
ship, or  a  short  time  thereafter,  that  some  dissensions  arose  as  to 
the   bounds  of  the  two  parishes,  which  led  to  their  reunion. 

The  first  entry  in  the  old  Vestry  Book  states  that  Mr.  Henry  Cor- 
bin  had  been  appointed  to  keep  the  register  of  the  parish,  according 
to  a  late  act  of  Assembly. 

The  vestry  oath  is  an  item  of  great  interest.     It  is  as  follows: 

"I,  A.  B.,  as  I  do  acknowledge  myself  a  true  son  of  the  Church  of 
England,  so  dc  I  believe  the  Articles  of  Faith  therein  professed,  and 
oblige  myself  to  be  comformable  to  the  doctrine  and  discipline  therein 
taught  and  established,  and  that  as  a  vestryman  of  Christ  church,  I 
will  well  and  truly  perform  my  duty  therein,  being  directed  by  the 
laws  and  customs  of  this  country,  and  the  Canons  of  the  Church  of 
England,  so  far  as  they  will  suit  our  present  capacity;  and  this  I  shall 
sincerely  do,  according  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  skill  and  cunning, 
without  fear,  favor,  or  partiality;   and  so  help  me  God." 

In  1666  the  vestry  resolved  to  build  a  mother  church,  after  the  model 
of  that  at  Williamsburg,  the  glass  and  iron  to  be  imported  from 
England.  This  was  done  at  a  point  midway  between  Brandon  and 
Rosegill,  the  seats  of  the  Grymes  and  Wormley  families,  not  far  from 
the  Rappahannock.  This  was  used  until  1712,  when  a  new  one  was 
built  in  the  same  place. 

On  the  29th  of  January,  1666,  it  was  resolved  to  continue  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Morris  as  minister,  but  that  he  be  not  inducted.  On  the  next  day 
he  was  paid  his  salary  and  dismissed,  probably  because  of  a  natural 
objection  to  the  terms   of  his   call. 

In  the  same  year  a  glebe  was  purchased  and  the  Rev.  John  Shephard 
called  as  minister  for  six  months.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time 
he  was  called  for  twelve  months,  and  then  permanently.  Mr.  Shep- 
hard was  evidently  a  man  of  piety  and  ability,  for  at  his  death  the 
following  minute  was  recorded  in  the  Vestry  Book: 

"It  is  ordered  by  this  present  vestry,  that  whereas  it  has  pleased 
Almighty  God  to  take  out  of  this  life  Mr.  John  Shephard,  our  late 
Worthy  minister,  and  this  vestry  and  the  whole  parish  desiring  to 
have  his   place  supplied  with  a   gentleman  of  good   life   and   doctrine 


249 

and  a  true  son  of  the  Church  of  England;  and  they  knowing  of  none 
such  at  present  in  this  country,  but  have  benefices — it  is  therefore 
unanimously  agreed  by  the  vestry  that  the  Hon.  Ralph  Wormley,  Esq., 
and  Mr.  Robert  Smith  be  desired  and  empowered  to  write,  in  the  name 
of  this  vestry,  to  the  Hon.  the  Lady  Agatha  Chichely,  and  Major 
General  Robert  Smith — who,  it  is  hoped,  are  now  safe  in  London — to 
request  them,  or  either  of  them,  that  they  will  please  to  take  the  trou- 
ble to  procure  a  fit  minister  in  England  to  come  over  and  supply  the 
place  of  Mr.  Shephard." 

In  this  resolution  the  vestry  pledged  themselves  not  to  employ  any 
one  except  temporarily  until  the  clergyman  came  from  England,  whom 
they  agreed  to  accept  as  their  minister,  offering  for  his  support  the 
use  of  the  glebe  lands,  which  contained  four  hundred  acres,  and  an 
annual  allowance  of  sixteen  thousand  pounds  of  tobacco  and  caske, 
besides   all  perquisites  and   other  profHs. 

During  the  vacancy  the  parish  was  supplied  by  the  Rev.  Superiors 
Davis. 

In  November  of  that  year  Major  General  Robert  Smith  returned 
from  England  with  the  new  rector,  the  Rev.  Deuell  Read.  Mr.  Read 
served  the  parish  seven  years,  and  proved  a  worthy  successor  to  Mr. 
Shephard.  He  arranged  for  a  monthly  administration  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the  mother  church.  "And,  more- 
over, that  this  great  solemn  mystery  might  as  well  worthily  as  fre- 
quently be  observed,  he  did  frankly  and  freely  promise  a  sermon  at 
the  said  church  monthly,  that  is  to  say,  on  the  Saturday  in  the  after- 
noon, for  the  guiding  the  Communion — Not  doubting  that  all  parents 
and  masters  of  families,  who  ponder  the  everlasting  welfare  of  souls 
committed  to  their  charge,  would  readily  comply,  and  allow  convenient 
liberty  to  their  children  and  servants  to  repair  to  church  at  such  times, 
there  to  be  instructed  and  prepared  for  this  religious  duty." 

This  act  was  a  very  important  step  in  religious  growth,  inasmuch 
as  by  act  of  Assembly,  which  was  a  renewal  of  one  of  the  Canons  of 
the  Church  of  England,  it  was  only  required  that  the  Sacrament  be 
administered  twice  a  year,  and  in  this  case  it  was  proposed  to  have 
it  in  the  mother  church,  which  was  but  midway  of  a  parish  forty 
miles  in  length.  There  were  two  other  churches,  at  either  end  of  the 
county.  At  a  later  date,  however,  the  communion  was  administered 
in  all  of  them. 

After  his  resignation  Mr.  Read  returned  to  England,  and  there  is 
an  entry  in  the  Vestry  Book  as  follows: 


250 

"I,  Deuell  Read,  late  of  Middlesex  in  Virginia,  having  lived  In  the 
county  for  at  least  seven  years  past,  and  received  divers 'kindnesses 
from  the  parishioners  thereof,  and  Almighty  God  in  His  great  good- 
ness, having  preserved  me  through  many  dangers  in  my  return  to 
England,  and  being  most  kindly  received  by  my  Right  Honorable  and 
Right  Rev.  Henry,  Lord  Bishop  of  London,  do,  in  point  of  gratitude 
to  Almighty  God,  and  in  honour  for  the  Church  of  England,  freely 
give  and  bestow,  for  the  use  of  my  successors  in  the  said  parish,  four 
milch  cows  and  calves,  four  breeding  sows,  a  mare  and  colt,  to  be 
delivered  on  the  glebe  of  said  parish  to  the  next  incumbent,  he  to 
enjoy  them  and  their  increase  for  his  own  use,  and  leaving  the  like 
number  and  quality  on  his  death  to  his  successors;  humbly  requesting 
my  aforesaid  Right  Rev.  Diocesan  to  give  charge  to  his  Commissary 
there  to  take  care  herein,  and  to  settle  it  in  such  manner  as  to  him 
shall  seem  fit,  according  to  the  true  intent  hereof.  Witness  my  hand 
in  London,  this  12th  day  of  November,  in  the  second  year  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord  and  Lady  King  William  and  Que.en  Mary,  etc.  Deuell 
Read." 

In  imitation  of  this  act,  another  entry  states  that:  "The  following 
gentlemen,  Vestrymen  of  the  parish,  viz.:  Henry  Corbin,  Richard 
Perrott,  Abraham  Weeks,  John  Hastewood,  Richard  Cock,  Robert 
Chewning,  agree,  each  of  them,  to  mark  one  cow-calf  with  a  crop  in 
the  right  ear,  to  be  kept,  as  well  as  their  own  cattle,  until  they  be 
two  years  old,  then  given  to  the  vestry  as  stock  for  the  parish."  In 
1692  the  Rev.  Matthew  Lidford  was  chosen  minister,  and  died  after  a 
rectorship  of  one  year.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Samuel  Gray, 
who  in  1698,  after  serving  the  parish  most  unworthily,  agreed  to  resign 
on  the  payment  to  him  of  a  certain  amount  of  tobacco.  His  career 
was  a  dark  cloud  in  the  history  of  the  church. 

It  may  be  stated  here,  however,  that  the  ministry  of  the  Church  in 
these  early  days,  as  shown  by  the  records  of  this  parish,  will  compare 
favorably  with  that  of  any  period  and  of  any  religious  body.  Bad 
men  there  were  then,  as  there  are  now,  among  all  Church  bodies, 
but  they   were  the  exception. 

In  1669  the  Rev.  Robert  Yates  became  rector,  and  continued  so 
until  about  1704,  when  ill  health  compelled  his  return  to  England. 
His  record  was  evidently  that  of  a  good  and  true  man,  for  his  vestry 
continued  his  salary  for  some  time  in  hope  of  his  return.  The  Rev. 
Bartholomew  Yates  (supposed  to  be  his  son)  succeeded  him.  He 
served  the  parish  as  minister  for  eighteen  years,  when  he  was  called 


251 

to  York-Hampton  Parish.  His  vestry  increased  his  salary  to  two 
thousand  pounds  of  tobacco,  in  order  to  retain  his  services,  and  on 
the  Vestry  Book  is  the  copy  of  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly, 
signed  by  John  Robinson,  to  take  measures  to  have  him  remain  where 
he  was  ec  highly  esteemed.  He  continued  in  Middlesex,  therefore, 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1734,  thus  completing  a  rectorship 
of  thirty  years. 

Mr.  Yates  had  sons  in  England  at  college,  and  the  vestry  decided 
to  wait  two  years  until  his  son,  Bartholomew,  was  ordained,  in  the 
meantime  the  parish  was  served  by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  John  Reade  and 
Emmanuel  Jones,  from  parishes  nearby.  Rev.  Bartholomew  Yates  2d 
was  rector  for  twenty-five  years,  serving  the  parish  until  1767. 

Nine  years  before  this  date,  the  Rev.  William  Yates  and  the  Rev. 
Robert  Yates  were  ministers  in  the  adjoining  parishes  of  Petsworth 
and  Abingdon,  in  Gloucester  county,  and  they  were  either  grandsons 
or  grea'^^-grandsons  of  the  Rev.  Robert  Yates,  the  family  thu?  con- 
tributing great  strength  to  the  Church  in  its  early  days  in  Virginia. 

A  large  tombstone  was  placed  over  the  grave  of  the  Rev.  Bartholo- 
mew Yates  in  the  churchyard.  It  is  still  in  its  place,  and  bears  the 
following  inscription:  "Here  lie  the  remains  of  the  Rev.  Bartholomew 
Yates,  who  departed  this  life  the  26th  day  of  July,  1734,  in  the  fifty- 
seventh  year  of  his  age.  He  was  one  of  the  visitors  of  William  and 
Mary  College,  as  also  Professor  of  Divinity  in  that  Royal  Founda- 
tion. In  the  conscientious  discharge  of  his  duty,  few  ever  equalled 
him.  none  ever  surpassed  him.  He  explained  the  doctrine  by  his 
practice,  and  taught  and  led  the  way  to  heaven.  Cheerfulness,  the 
result  of  innocence,  always  sparkled  in  his  face,  and,  by  the  sweet- 
ness of  his  temper,  he  gained  universal  good  vrill.  His  consort  enjoyed 
in  him  a  tender  husband,  his  children  an  indulgent  father,  his  ser- 
vants a  gentle  master,  his  acquaintances  a  faithful  friend.  He  was 
minister  of  this  parish  upwards  of  thirty  years;  and  to  perpetuate 
his  memory,  this  monument  is  erected  at  the  charge  of  his  friends 
and  parishioners." 

The  descendants  of  Mr.  Yates  are  many  and  honored  in  different 
parts  of   the   State. 

In  1767  the  Rev.  John  Klug  became  rector,  and,  it  is  thought,  con- 
tinued so  until  his  death,  in  1795.  His  ministry  was  also  marked  by 
deep  piety  and  earnestness,  and  his  works  lived  after  him.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Heffernon,  whose  ministry  was  one  of  shame 
and  dishonor.     He  was  rector  for  eighteen  years,  the  Church  suffering 


252 

from  his  presence.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  in  1813,  the  condition 
of  the  church  was  depressing  in  the  extreme;  indeed,  as  Bishop  Meade 
says,  "Its  prostration  was  complete."  This  was  brought  about  largely 
by  political  conditions,  the  Church  generally  having  suffered  greatly 
at  that  period,  but  an  unworthy  minister  is  responsible  for  much  of  the 
sin  and  carelessness  among  his  people. 

The  respect  of  some  of  the  people  of  Middlesex  for  the  matters  of 
the  higher  life,  in  those  old  days,  is  illustrated  in  an  extract  of  the 
will  of  Mr.  William  Churchhill,  in  1711,  in  which  he  bequeathed  one 
hundred  pounds  sterling  to  the  vestry  of  Christ  Church  Parish,  Middle- 
sex, to  be  placed  at  interest,  the  proceeds  to  be  given  the  minister, 
provided  he  preached  four  quarterly  sermons  each  year  against  the 
four  reigning  vices,  viz.:  Atheism  (meaning  living  without  God  in 
the  world)  and  irreligion;  swearing  and  cursing;  fornication  and 
adultery  and  drunkenness. 

Twenty-five  pounds  were  put  at  interest  and  the  interest  money  was 
to  be  given  the  clerk  or  sexton  attending  such  sermon. 

From  1813  to  1840  there  is  little  record  of  Church  work  in  Middlesex, 
though  the  parish  was  represented  in  the  Diocesan  Council  of  1821  by 
Mr.  James  Chewning  as  lay  delegate,  and  in  1840  the  old  mother 
church  was  a  ruin,  the  walls  alone  standing.  At  this  date  Bishop 
Meade  thus   strikingly   refers   to   its  sad   condition: 

"And  what  has  become  of  the  mother  church — the  Great  Church  as 
she  is  styled  in  her  journal — standing  in  view  of  the  wide  Rappahan- 
nock, midway  between  Rosegill  and   Brandon? 

"More,  perhaps,  than  fifty  years  ago  it  was  deserted.  Its  roof  de- 
cayed and  fell  in.  Everything  within  it  returned  to  its  native  dust. 
But  nature  abhors  a  vacuum.  A  sycamore  tree  sprung  up  within  its 
walls.  All  know  the  rapidity  of  that  tree's  growth.  It  filled  the 
void.     Its  boughs  soon  rose  above  and  overspread  the  walls. 

"In  the  year  1840,  when  it  pleased  God  to  put  it  into  the  hearts  of 
some  in  whom  the  spirit  of  Old  Virginia  Episcopalians  still  remained, 
to  seek  the  revival  of  the  Church's  dry  bones  in  Middlesex,  that  huge 
overspreading  tree  must  first  be  removed  piecemeal  from  the  house, 
and  the  rich  mould  of  fifty  years'  accumulation,  to  the  depth  of  two 
feet,  must  be  dug  up  before  the  chancel  floor  and  the  stone  aisles 
could  be  reached — faithful  workmanship  of  other  days.  These  were 
uninjured,  and  may  still  remain,  while  generations  of  frail  modern 
structures  pass  away.  The  house  is  now  one  of  our  best  country 
churches.     The  graves  of  our  ancestors  are  all  around  it.     In  scattered 


253 

fragments  some  of  the  tombstones  lie;  others  too  substantial  to  be 
broken,  too  heavy  to  be  borne  away,  now  plainly  tell  whose  remains 
are  protected   by  them. 

These  blessed  improvements  were  wrought  largely  through  the 
energetic  interest  of  Mrs.  Kemp  (Barbara  Minor)  Gatewood,  who 
started  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  restoration  of  the  old 
church.  Others  assisting  prominently  in  the  work  were  Dr.  Rowan,  Dr. 
Nicholson,  Mr.  Boswell  Roy,  of  Rosegill;  the  Blackburns  and  Segars 
and   Mr.    Gatewood. 

In  the  original  arrangement  of  the  parish  there  were  two  churches 
in  addition  to  the  parish  church.  These  were  situated  in  the  upper 
and  lower  ends  of  the  county,  respectively.  The  three  were  known 
as  the  Upper,  Lower  and  Middle  churches.  All  were  of  brick,  and 
are  now  standing,  but  the  Upper  church  is  occupied  by  the  Baptists, 
who  have  named  it  "Hermitage,"  and  the  lower  by  the  Methodists, 
and  is  still  known  as  the  Lower  church. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Carraway,  rector  about  1845,  writing  to  Bishop  Meade, 
thus  speaks  of  them: 

"The  Upper  and  Lower  churches  or  chapels  are  still  standing.  One 
of  them  is  about  to  be  repaired  by  the  Baptists.  The  Lower  chapel 
retains  some  appearance  of  antiquity,  in  spite  of  the  effort  to  destroy 
every  vestige  of  Episcopal  taste  and  usage.  The  high  pulpit  and 
sounding-board  have  been  removed,  and  the  reading  desk  placed  within 
the  chancel,  before  which  is  the  roughly  carved  chest  which  formerly 
held  the  plate  and  other  articles  for  the  decent  celebration  of  the 
Holy  Communion. 

"There  were  three  sets  of  plate  in  the  parish.  A  descendant  of  one 
of  the  earliest  families,  now  the  wife  of  one  of  the  Virginia  clergy, 
on  removing  from  this  county,  took  with  her,  in  order  to  keep  from 
desecration,  the  service  belonging  to  the  Lower  chapel.  She  lent  it 
to  a  rector  of  one  of  the  churches  in  Richmond,  with  the  under- 
standing that,  upon  the  revival  of  the  parish,  it  must  be  restored. 
Application  was  accordingly  made  in  the  year  1840,  and  the  vestry 
received  the  value  of  the  plate  in  money,  which  was  given  at  their 
suggestion,  they  having  a  full  service  in  their  possession. 

"The  plate  owned  by  Christ  church  was  presented  by  the  Hon.  Ralph 
Wormley.  It  numbered  five  pieces.  But  for  the  inscription,  bearing 
the  name  of  the  donor,  it  would  have  shared  the  fate  of  much  that 
was   irreligiously   and   sacreligiously   disposed   of. 

It  was  deposited  in  the  bank  in  Fredericksburg,  where  it  remained 


254 

for  more  than  thirty  years.  It  was  afterwards  in  regular  use,  but 
was  at  one  time  almost  destroyed  by  fire.  Enough  was  rescued,  how- 
ever, for  the  use  of  church. 

The  set  belonging  to  the  Lower  church  was  sold  by  the  overseers 
of  the  poor." 

The  old  Glebe  house,  a  large  square  brick  building,  is  still  standing 
at  the  head  of  Urbanna  Creek,  which  is  near  Christ  church. 

The  Rev.  W.  Y.  Rooker  was  in  charge  of  the  work  in  Mathews  and 
Middlesex  a  few  years  after  1840.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  G. 
S.  Carraway.  As  to  the  people  who  lived  in  Middlesex  in  the  old 
days,  under  the  ministrations  of  the  Church,  much  could  be  said.  They 
represented  some  of  the  most  distinguished  of  the  early  citizenship 
of  the  State,  and  their  descendants  have  figured  prominently  in  the 
history  of  the  country.  Such  names  as  the  following  were  among 
them:  Corbin,  Perrott,  Chewning,  Potter,  Vause,  Weeks,  Willis,  Cock, 
Curtis,  Smith,  Dudley,  Thacker,  Skipwith,  Beverley.  Wormley,  Jones, 
Miller,  Scarborough,  Woodley,  Whitaker,  Robinson,  Warwick,  Gordon, 
Chichester,  Midge,  Churchill,  Burnham,  Kemp,  Cary,  Daniel,  Price, 
Mann,  Segar,  Reid,  Eliot,  Miles,  Montague  and  Nelson.  The  names  of 
Sir  Henry  Chicheley,  Baronet  and  Knight  (once  Deputy  Governor  of 
Virginia),  and  Sir  William  Skipwith,  Baronet  and  Knight,  appear 
always  at  the  head  of  the  vestrymen,  as  written  in  the  vestry  books, 
these  titles  giving  them  precedence.  They  appear  to  have  been  active 
and  liberal,  giving  land  and  plate  to  the  churches.  John  Grymes  and 
Edmund  Berkeley  appear  to  have  been  church  wardens  for  a  longer 
period  than  any  others.  The  Thackers  and  Robinsons  were  also  con- 
stant attendants  and  church  wardens  for  a  long  time.  So  also  were 
the  Smiths,  Churchills,  Corbins,  Curtises  and  Beverleys.  Many  of 
these  were  members  of  the  Council,  and  held  other  offices  in  the 
Colonial  government.  The  first  Beverley  on  the  list  was  the  cele- 
brated Robert  Beverley,  so  noted  in  the  early  history  of  Virginia  as 
a  martyr  to  the  cause  of  liberty.  He  was  clerk  of  the  House  of  Bur- 
gesses and  father  of  Robert  Beverley,  the  historian  of  Virginia,  and 
ancestor  of  the  other  Beverleys. 

There  were  always  three  lay  readers  in  each  of  the  churches.  The 
names  of  Chewning,  Baldwin  and  Stevens  appear  among  these.  They 
were  required  not  only  to  read  homilies,  but  to  catechise  the  chil- 
dren, and  see  that  everything  about  the  church  was  orderly.  By 
express  act  of  the  vestry  it  was  required  that  these  lay  readers  be 
sober   and   reputable  men. 


255 

The  office  of  vestryman  was  that  of  an  active  worker  for  the  iiplift 
of  the  people,  those  holding  it  being  guardians  of  the  poor  and  desti- 
tute, and  at  the  same  time  pupei  visors  in  liusiness  matters  of  the 
parish  and  county.  There  was  one  very  important  duty  which  vestries 
had  to  perform  and  which  occasioned  differences  between  them  and  the 
Governor  of  Virginia,  namely:  To  maintain  their  rights  as  repre- 
senting the  people  in  the  choice  and  settlement  of  ministers.  In  the 
English  Church  the  congregation  have  no  part  in  the  choice  of  their 
ministers.  Patrons  appoint  them  and  livings  support  them.  In  Vir- 
ginia the  salary  being  drawn  immediately  from  the  people  by  the- 
vestries,  the  latter  sometimes  claimed  the  right,  not  only  to  choose- 
the  ministers,  but  to  dismiss  them  at  pleasure.  In  the  absence  of 
Bishops  and  canons  to  try  ministers,  the  temptation  on  the  part  of  the 
vestries  to  act  arbitrarily  is  evident.  The  Governor,  therefore,  claimed 
to  be  the  Ordinary,  to  act  as  Bishop  in  reference  to  this  point.  Ap- 
pealing to  the  English  canon,  he  allowed  the  vestries  the  right  to 
call  the  ministers  and  present  them  for  induction.  Being  inducted, 
the  minister  could  not  be  displaced  by  the  vestry.  He  had  a  right 
to  the  salary,  and  could  enforce  it  by  an  appeal  to  law,  unless,  in- 
deed, lor  misconduct,  he  could  be  deprived  by  a  process  under  the 
divfction  of  the  Governor.  Should  a  vestry  not  appoint  a  minister 
after  a  vacancy  of  six  months,  the  Governor  might  send  one,  and  induct 
him  as  the  permanent  minister,  not  to  be  removed  by  the  vestry. 

In  the  old  churchyard  rest  the  remains  of  many  of  the  people  who 
have  figured  prominently  in  the  affairs  of  Church  and  State.  Three 
of  these  inscriptions  on  the  tombs  are  of  particular  interest.  One  is 
the  epitaph  of  Mr.  John  Grymes,  and  reads  as  follows: 

"Here  lies  interred  the  body  of  the  Honorable  John  Grymes,  Esq., 
who  for  many  years  acted  in  the  public  affairs  of  this  Dominion,  with 
honor,  fortitude,  fidelity  to  their  majesties.  King  George  I.  and  III.  Of 
the  Council  of  State  of  the  Royal  Prerogative,  of  the  liberty  and  prop- 
erty of  the  subject,  a  zealous  asserter.  On  the  Seat  of  Judgment, 
clear,  sound,  unbiassed.  In  the  office,  punctual,  approved.  Of  the 
College  of  William  and  Mary,  an  ornament,  visitor,  patron.  Beneficent 
to  all,  a  pattern  of  true  piety.  Respected,  loved,  revered.  Lamented 
by  his  family,  acquaintance,  country.  He  departed  this  life  the  2d  day 
of   November,   1748,   in   the  fifty-seventh   year   of   his   age." 

Another  epitaph  reads: 

"This  monument  is  erected  to  the  memory  of  Ralph  Wormley,  Esq., 
of  Rosegill,  who  died  on  the  19th  of  January,  1806,  in  the  sixty-second 


256 

year  of  his  age.  The  rules  of  honor  guided  the  actions  of  this  great 
man.  He  was  the  perfect  gentleman  and  finished  scholar,  with  many 
virtues   founded   on   Christianity." 

Mr.  Wormley  was  a  member  of  a  number  of  Episcopal  Conven- 
tions after  the  Revolution.  After  his  death  the  descendants  of  Colonel 
Edmund  Berkeley  appear  to  be  almost  all  that  remained  of  the 
church. 

This  family  preserved  the  Vestry  Book  from  which  all  of  the  in- 
formation  gathered   by   Bishop   Meade   was   obtained. 

On  the  tomb  of  the  wife  of  Mr.  Wormley  are  these  words: 

"Beneath  this  marble  lies  interred  the  remains  of  Mrs.  Eleanor 
Wormley,  widow  of  Ralph  Wormley,  Esq.,  of  Rosegill,  and  sister  of 
Colonel  John  Tayloe,  of  Mount  Airy,  who  died  the  23d  of  February, 
1815,  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  her  age.  Few  women  were  more  emi- 
nently distinguished  for  correctness  of  deportment,  and  for  the  prac- 
tice of  all  the  Christian  virtues.  As  a  wife  she  was  conjugal,  as  a 
widow  exemplary,  as  a  mother,  fond  and  affectionate,  as  a  neighbor 
charitable  and  kind,  as  a  friend,  steady  and  sincere." 

There  are  also  tombs  of  Lucy  Berkeley,  who  died  in  1716,  and  Sir 
Henry  Chicheley,  Knight  and  Deputy  Governor  of  Virginia;  the  Rev. 
John  Shephard  and  the  Hon.  Lady  Madame  Catharine  Wormley,  wife 
of  the  Honorable  Ralph  Wormley  (the  first  Ralph  Wormley),  in  the 
year  1685. 

Rosegill,  the  grand  old  house  of  the  Wormleys,  still  stands.  It  was 
bought  about  fifty  years  ago  by  Captain  John  Bailey,  a  man  of  great 
heart,  who  did  much  good  for  the  Church  in  modern  years.  The  old 
mansion  was  restored  to  much  of  its  former  grandeur  under  his  owner- 
ship. 

After  his  death  hia  widow  lived  there  many  years,  and  it  was  the 
privilege  of  the  writer  to  visit  and  enjoy  her  hospitality,  and  view  the 
house,  one  of  the  most  intei-esting  relics  of  a  bygone  age.  Its  situa- 
tion is  ideal,  in  full  and  beautiful  view  of  the  broad  river,  about  two 
miles  from  the  town  of  Urbanna.  Since  Mrs.  Bailey's  death  it  has 
been  bought  and  beautified  by  a  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania. 

The  modern  history  of  Christ  church  is  similar  to  that  of  most 
Virginia  Colonial  churches.  After  being  a  long  time  asleep,  it  has 
awakened  to  a  new  life,  with  hopes  and  aspirations  which  are  well 
founded.  Though  sometimes  in  a  feeble  condition,  it  has  weathered 
the  storms  of  war  and  other  trials.  The  ministers  who  have  served 
it  since  1850  are  the  Rev.  Joseph  R.  Jones,  the  Rev.  John  McGill,  the 


257 

Rev.  Claudius  R.  Haines,  the  Rev.  J.  Hervey  Hundley,  the  Rev.  John 
Moncure  (for  a  brief  time),  the  Rev.  Frank  Stringfellow,  the  Rev.  E. 
B.  Meredith,  the  Rev.  H.  J.  Beagen  and  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Cov/ling,  the 
present  incumbent.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  Rev.  J. 
Hervey  Hundley,  through  whose  energy  and  interest,  largely,  the 
church  in  Middlesex  was  kept  alive  for  many  years.  Dr.  Hundley  was 
originally  a  Baptist  minister  in  Lower  Essex.  He  came  over  to  the 
Church,  bringing  his  congregation  with  him.  He  served  Christ  church 
as  a  rector  for  several  times,  being  recalled  time  and  again  as  the 
church  became  vacant.  He  went  to  his  reward  about  four  years  ago, 
and,  like  all  of  the  blessed  dead,  his  works  live  after  him. 

Among  the  faithful  laymen  of  modern  days  was  Mr.  Oliver  J.  Marston, 
of  Saluda.  He,  too,  has  gone  to  his  rest,  but  his  active,  whole-souled 
interest  in  the  old  church  and  its  affairs  will  long  remain  in  the 
hearts  of  the  people. 

The  parish  is  now  in  good  condition.  The  old  church  building  has 
been  improved  by  extensive  repairs  and  adornments.  It  has  been  en- 
riched by  some  fine  memorial  windows,  and  is  now  a  place  of  beauty 
as  well  as  of  sacredness.  The  present  vestry  is  as  follows:  Mr.  P.  M. 
Eastman,  senior  warden;  Mr.  J.  C.  Gray,  junior  warden;  Mr.  Gordon 
Taylor,  register,  and  Messrs.  William  Seagar,  Marion  Walters,  William 
T.  Perkins,  W.  C.  Walker  and  Benjamin  Upton. 


WESTOVER  PARISH,  CHARLES  CITY  COUNTY, 

VIRGINIA. 

BY    jrRS.    MARY    MORRIS    TYLER,    OF    STURGEON    POINT,    VA. 

/p=j-j=;\  HERE  is   no  parish   in  Virginia   more   interesting,  nor  bearing 

more    distinctly   the   mark   of   antiquity   than   Westover.     The 

Jj,      oldest  church  plate  in  the  United  States  is  a  Communion  cup 

presented  in  1619  to  "St.  Mary's  Church  in  Smith's  Hundred 

in  Virginia,"  by  Mrs.   Mary  Robinson.     The  cup  is  still  preserved  by 

the  church  at  Hampton  and  bears  the  hall-mark  of  1617,  with  the 

inscription  above  mentioned. 

Smith's,  or  Southampton  Hundred  extended  from  Weyanoke  to  the 
Chickahominy  river;  was  located  in  1617  and  abandoned  after  the 
Indian  massacre  of  1622.  If  "St.  Mary's  Church,"  for  which  the  plate 
'was  designed  was  actually  built,  it  was  contemp'orary  with  the  Argall 
'Church  at  Jamestown,  and  older  than  any  other  in  the  Colony.  The 
county  of  Charles  City,  in  which  it  was  located,  was  one  of  the  original 
shires  or  counties  into  which  the  Colony  was  partitioned  in  1634,  and 
extended  over  a  broad  area  on  both  sides  of  the  James  river.  West- 
over  Hundred,  Weyanoke  (or  Weyanoake)  Hundred,  Shirley  Hundred, 
and  Charles  City  Hundred  were  early  settlements  on  James  river, 
within  its  bounds,  and  we  read  of  a  school  being,  or  to  be  established 
"at  Charles  City  Hundred  in  aid  of  the  proposed  college  at  Henrico." 
Westover  Parish  followed  the  original  county  lines;  was  thirty  miles 
long  and,  extending  to  the  other  side  of  the  river,  included  Charles 
City  Hundred  (now  City  Point)  and  a  section  of  country  extending 
to  Martin's  Brandon.  Bishop  Meade  states  that  there  were  originally 
in  Charles  City  county  the  parishes  of  Westover,  Weyanoke  and  Wal- 
lingford,  which  extended  to  the  Chickahominy  river;  all  three  after- 
ward uniting  into  one,  taking  the  name  of  Westover  Parish. 

At  Weyanoke,  generally  accepted  as  the  next  settlement  after 
Jamestown,  there  long  remained  foundations  of  an  ancient  church, 
and  a  pamphlet  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Graves,  of  Maryland,  states 
authoritatively  that  an  assembly  was  held  at  the  church  at  Weyanoke 
early  in  the  17th  century.  There  are  still  traces  of  the  old  graveyard, 
and  one  of  the  tombs  from  there  was  carried  to  St.  Paul's,  Norfolk, 
(by   the   Rev.   Dr.   Okeson)    where   it   may   still   be   seen.     Apparently 


259 

after  the  destruction  of  the  church  at  Weyanoke  the  "county  was 
divided  into  Westover  and  Mapsco.  The  part  above  the  courthouse 
was  called  Westover,  and  the  part  below  called  Mapsco,  from  an  In- 
dian name  given  the  creek  near  where  the  original  Lower  church 
stood." 

The  parish  took  its  name  from  the  Westover  tract,  which  was 
granted  to  Captain  Francis  West  in  1619,  for  Henry  West,  the  son 
and  heir  of  Lord  Delaware,  Governor  of  Virginia;  Westover  gaining 
its  name  from  the  West  family. 

Owing  to  the  unfortunate  loss  or  lack  of  early  parish  records,  it 
is  impossible  to  fix  the  age  of  the  present  Westover  church.  TTie 
original  Westover  church  stood  near  the  Westover  house,  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  up  the  river  bank.  Its  location  is  established  by  the 
existence  of  very  interesting  tombs  at  that  point.  The  earliest  is  that 
of  Walter  Aston,  who  patented  in  1642  a  tract  on  Kimage's  creek. 

Next  in  point  of  antiquity  is  that  of  Theodoric  Bland,  who  in  1666 
purchased  Westover: 

S.  M. 
Prudentis  &  Erudite  Theodorici 
Bland  Armig  Qui  Obijt  Aprilis 

23rd  A.  D.   1671.     Aetatus   41 

Cujus  Vidua  Maestissima  Anna 

Fillia  Richardi  Bennt  Armig 

Hoc  Marmor  Posuit. 

Here  are  the  highly  interesting  Byrd  monuments,  that  of  Mary  Byrd,. 
wife  of  one,  and  mother  of  another  of  the  distinguished  William  Byrds: 

Here  lyeth  the  Body 

of  Mary  Byrd,  Late  Wife  of  William 

Byrd,  Esq.    Daughter 

of  Warham  Horsemander  Esq. 

Who  died  the  9th 

Day  of  November 

1699.      In   the   47   year 

of  Her  Age. 

Nearby  lies  that  fair  heroine  of  romance,  Evelyn  Byrd: 

Here  in  the  sleep   of  peace, 
Reposes  the  Body  of  Mrs.  Evelyn  Byrd, 
Daughter  of  the  Hon.  William  Byrd  Esq. 


260 

The  various  and  excellent  endowments 
of  Nature 
Improved    and    perfected    by    an    accomplished    education    formed    her 
for  the  happiness  of  her  friends,  for  an  ornament  of  her  county. 

Alas  Reader, 

We  can  detain  nothing,  however  valued, 

from  unrelenting  Death. 

Beauty,  fortune  or  exalted  honour 

See  here  a  Proof, 

And    be   reminded   by   this   awful    Tomb;    that   every   worldly   comfort 

fleets   away,    excepting   only,    what   arises    from    imitating   the    virtues 

of  our  fi'iends  and  the  contemplation  of  their  happiness. 

To  which 

God  was  pleased  to  call  this  Lady 

On  the  13th  day  of  November,  1737, 

In  the  29th  year  of  her  age. 

In  the  adjacent  garden  lies  Col.  William  Byrd,  by  long  odds  the 
most  accomplished  man  of  his  day  in  America — statesman,  scholar 
and  fellow  of  the  Royal  Society.  He  built  the  present  noble  brick 
mansion  at  Westover,  ran  the  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  line,  and 
founded  the  city  of  Richmond.  His  monument  is  very  elaborate  and 
bears  the  following  inscription: 

"Here  Lieth 
The  Honorable  William  Byrd,  Esq.,  being  born  to  one  of  the  amplest 
Fortunes  in  this  Country,  he  was  sent  early  to  England  for  his  Edu- 
cation; where  under  the  Care  and  direction  of  Sir  Robt  Southwell, 
and  even  favored  with  his  particular  Instruction,  he  made  a  happy 
Proficiency  in  polite  and  various  Learning.  By  the  means  of  the  same 
noble  Friend  he  was  introduced  to  many  of  the  first  Persons  of  the 
Age,  for  Knowledge,  Wit,  Virtue,  Birth  or  high  Station,  and  particularly 
contracted  a  most  intimate  and  bosom  Friendship  with  the  learned 
and  illustrious  Charles  Boyle,  Earl  of  Orrery,  he  was  called  to  the  Bar 
of  the  Middle  Temple,  studied  for  some  time  in  the  Low  Countries, 
visited  the  Court  of  France,  and  was  chosen  Fellow  of  the  Royal 
Society." 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  tombstone  is  inscribed: 
"Thus  eminently  fitted  for  the  Service  and  ornament  of  his  country, 
he   was   made   Receiver-General   of  his   Majesty's   Revenues   here,   was 
thrice  appointed  Public  Agent  to  the  Court  and  Ministry  of  England, 


261 

and  being  thirty-seven  years  a  member,  at  last  became  President  of 
the  Council  of  the  Colony,  to  all  this  were  added  a  great  Elegancy 
of  Taste  and  Life,  the  well  bred  Gentleman  and  polite  Companion, 
the  splendid  Economist  and  prudent  Father  of  a  Family,  was  the 
constant  Enemy  of  all  exorbitant  Power,  and  hearty  Friend  of  the 
liberties  of  his  Country. 

"Nat.  March  28th,  1624.     Mort.  Aug.  26th,   1744.     An  Etat  70  years." 

There  is  no  trace  of  a  monument  to  the  third  William  Byrd,  whose 
prominence  in  military  life  was  such  that  he  was  seriously  considered 
instead  of  General  Washington  as  leader  of  the  Virginia  forces  in  the 
Revolutionary  War. 

In  the  old  churchyard  we  find  also  the  tombs  of  Benjamin  Harrison, 
of  Berkeley,  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  Burwell,  this  being  the  third 
Benjamin  Harri&on,  father  of  Benjamin  Harrison,  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Burgesses,  grandfather  of  Benjamin  Harrison,  one  of  the 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  great-grandfather  of  Wil- 
liam Harrison,  President  of  the  United  States  in  1841,  who  was  born 
at  Berkeley  in  1773,  and  great-great-great-grandfather  of  Benjamin 
Harrison,  President  of  the  United  States  in  1889. 

rhe  only  other  decipherable  tomb  is  that  of  Charles  Anderson,  the 
first  known  minister  of  this  parish. 

There  is  no  record  of  the  date  of  the  removal  of  the  church  from  its 
original  site,  only  that  it  was  removed  brick  by  brick  by  "Mrs.  Byrd 
to  her  land  Evelyngton,"  about  two  miles  away.  The  last  interment 
in  the  old  churchyard  of  which  we  have  evidence  was  that  of  Mistress 
Evelyn  Byrd,  1737.  The  oldest  monument  in  the  present  churchyard 
remaining  unbroken  is  "Erected  by  Richard  Weir,  To  the  dear  mem- 
ory of  his  pupil  and  friend.  *  *  *  He  died  the  17th  of  June, 
1748.  '  It  looks  therefore  as  if  the  move  were  made  in  the  interval 
between  1737  and  1748.  If,  however,  the  Mrs.  Byrd  who  caused  the 
removal  was,  as  has  been  supposed,  the  widow  of  the  third  William 
Byrd,  it  would  have  been  a  little  later. 

Bishop  Meade  says  of  the  present  building: 

"The  old  Westover  church  still  stands,  a  relic  and  monument  of 
ancient  times.  It  is  built  of  the  glazed-end  bricks,  generally  used  in 
Colonial  structures.  It  has  been  subject  to  terrible  mutilation,  having 
been  used  in  the  days  of  general  depression  in  the  Episcopal  Church 
in  the  beginning  of  the  19th  century  as  a  barn.     Repaired  then  by  the 


262 

families  of  Berkeley  and  Shirley,  and  again  repaired  just  prior  to  the 
war,  it  was  used  by  the  Federal  troops  as  a  stable. 

"In  18G7  the  Westover  church  was  opened  and  used  again  for  the  first 
time  since  the  close  of  the  war.  Not  a  door,  window,  or  floor  was- 
left;  but  by  the  blessing  of  good  God  and  kind  friends,  we  have  re- 
paired it."  (Parish  Register).  Now,  1907,  a  considerable  sum  is  in 
the  hands  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  Society  for  the  restoration  and  beauti- 
fying of  the  church. 

Of  the  Lower  church  in  the  parish,  we  are  told  that  "the  Old  Brick 
church,  called  Mapsco,  stood  about  seven  miles  below  the  court- 
house and  immediately  on  the  road  to  Sandy  Point,  the  old  seat  of 
the  Lightfoot  family,  also  convenient  to  the  Chickahominy  neighbor- 
hood." A  note  written  about  1850  says:  "Mapsco  church  was  on  the 
road  to  Barrett's  Ferry,  near  the  fork  of  the  road,  four  miles  below 
where  the  new  church  stands.  The  ruins  are  still  visible.  The  'New 
Church'  is  first  alluded  to  in  the  Parish  Register  in  1841  as  St.  Thomas', 
and  on  Christmas,  1854,  St.  Thomas'  church  was  destroyed  by  fire. 
Rebuilt  in  1856,  it  was  consecrated  by  the  Assistant-Bishop  Johns  at 
Mapsco  church." 

Of  the  parish  glebes  we  are  told  there  were  two  in  the  day  of 
Parson  Fontaine,  1724,  neither  having  homes  on  them.  The  glebe 
house  now  standing  bears  distinct  evidence  of  antiquity.  The  land  is 
said  to  have  been  the  grant  of  the  crown;  the  house  is  built  of  the 
Colonial  glazed  brick,  and  it  was  the  residence  of  early  ministers  down 
to  Parson  Chapin. 

After  the  disuse  of  the  glebe,  Parson  Norris  (1833)  lived  with  Dr. 
Willcox  at  River  Edge. 

On  the  revival  of  Church  life  in  the  parish,  a  rectory  was  secured 
on  the  outer  part  of  Weyanoke,  in  1841.  From  that  point  the  rectory 
was  removed  in  1888,  to  a  tract  adjoining  Westover  church,  probably 
the  same  "Westing,  belonging  to  the  Westover  estate,  across  the 
creek  from  the  Westover  house,  once  occupied  by  Parson  Dunbar." 
Of  the  ministers  of  this  parish  w^e  are  told  by  Bishop  Meade:  "We 
have  no  means  of  ascertaining  the  name  of  a  single  minister  of  this 
ancient  shire  for  nearly  a  century  after  its  establishment."  The 
earliest  on  record  was  Rev.  Charles  Anderson,  to  whose  tomb  we  have 
referred,  who  died  in  1718,  having  been  for  2(J  years  minister  of  this 
parish.  He  preceded  the  first  mentioned  by  Bishop  Meade,  that 
godly  man.  Rev.  Peter  Fontaine,  who  served  the  parish  faithfully 
for  forty  years  and  died   in    1755.     He  was  followed   in   1758   by  Rev. 


263 

William  Davis;  in  177G  Rev.  James  Ogilbie;  in  1786  Rev.  John  Dunbar, 
the  fighting  parson,  who  married  a  daughter  of  the  House  of  Byrd, 
and  of  whose  wild  doings  there  is  many  a  sinister  tale.  He  is  various- 
ly reported  to  have  fought  a  duel  behind  Westover  and  old  Mapsco 
church,  and  is  said  to  have  vainly  tried  to  stir  up  strife  between  the 
•cousins  Benjamin  Harrison,  of  Berkeley  and  Brandon,  making  the  offer, 
which  was  declined,  to  the  bearer  of  a  challenge  from  one  to  the  other. 
Next  came,  1793  or  earlier,  Rev.  Sewell  Chapin,  last  occupant  of  the 
glebe.  Parson  Chapin  baptized  John  Tyler,  tenth  President  of  the 
United  States,  who  was  born  at  Greenway,  Charles  City  county,  in 
1790.  An  oil  painting  of  old  Parson  Chapin  hung  in  the  Tyler  home- 
stead, "Sherwood  Forest,"  until  it  was  taken  during  the  war  to 
Richmond,  with  other  portraits,  for  protection,  and  burned  there  the 
day  of  evacuation.  Mr.  Chapin  died  at  "Weyanoke,"  the  residence 
of  P.  Lewis,  and  was  buried  in  the  aisle  and  under  the  present  chancel 
of  Westover  church. 

Now  follows  the  period  that  the  "Churches  mouldered  away,"  in 
which  time,  tradition  tells    of  Parsons  Black  and  Blagrove. 

In  1833  Rev.  Charles  Farley  acted  as  missionary  in  Charles  City, 
Chesterfield  and  King  William.  In  the  same  year,  1833,  Rev.  A. 
Norris  took  charge  of  the  parish,  followed  in  1835  by  Rev.  William 
Thomas  Leavell,  and  in  1853,  Rev.  N.  K.  Okeson.  In  1856  Dr.  Ander- 
son Wade  followed,  and  was  for  upwards  of  twenty  years  beloved 
rector  of  the  parish.  In  1880  came  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Everett,  and  in 
1886  Rev.  K.  S.  Nelson.  In  1888  the  Rev.  J.  Poyntz  Tyler  followed, 
and  in  his  day  there  was  a  distinct  increase  of  interest  and  enthu- 
siasm in  the  parish.  He  was  succeeded  in  1891  by  Rev.  John  C.  Cor- 
nick,  who  is  still  the  faithful  rector  of  the  parish. 

Among  the  early  vestrymen  of  the  parish  we  hear  the  names: 
"LightfootS:  Minges,  Byrds,  Carters,  Harrisons,  Tylers,  Christians, 
Seldons,  Nelsons,  Lewises,  Douthats  and  Willcoxes,"  many  of  the 
same  being  on  the  Vestry  Books  of  to-day.  The  present  vestry — B.  C. 
Harrison,  registrar;  J.  M.  Walker,  senior  warden;  J.  A.  Ruffin,  treas- 
urer; William  L.  Woods,  J.  A.  Gentry,  J.  B.  Brockwell,  T.  W.  Willcox, 
junior  warden;   D.  G.  Tyler,  F.  L.  Douthat,  W.  L.  Harrison. 

The  Communion  plate  of  both  churches  is  extremely  interesting — 
that  of  Westover  church,  "Ex  Done  Sara  Braine."  The  massive  alms 
basin  belonging  to  this  set  has  passed  into  the  possession  of  St. 
John's  church,  Richmond.  The  plate  at  Mapsco  church  was  presented 
by  "Fran.  Lightfoot,  Anno  1727." 


264 

During  the  last  twenty  years  a  third  church  has  been  added  to  the 
parish — Grace  chapel,  Granville,  in  Shirley  neighborhood.  The  Shirley 
mansion,  standing  on  the  original  "West  and  Shirley  Hundred,"  is 
one  of  the  oldest  and  most  interesting  in  Virginia.  Patented  in  1664 
by  Edward  Hill,  it  has  remained  in  unbroken  line  in  the  hands  of 
his  descendants — Hills  and  Carters — many  members  of  both  families 
rising  to  distinction. 

The  mother  of  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  was  Miss  Carter,  of  Shirley. 
At  the  "Forest,"  Thomas  Jefferson  was  married  to  the  widow  Shelton. 
There  are  a  number  of  private  graveyards  throughout  the  parish, 
containing  interesting  monuments,  notably  those  at  Sandy  Point, 
with  the  tombs  of  the  Lightfoots;  at  Greenway,  with  the  tombs  of 
the  Tylers,  notably  Governor,  afterwards  Judge  John  Tyler,  con- 
temporary and  friend  of  Jefferson  and  Henry;  and  the  oldest  of  all 
at  Bachelor's  Point  with  William  Hunt,  1676,  and  another  William 
Hunt,  1694. 

God's  word  and  worship  seem  nowhere  to  have  formed  a  more 
important  part  in  the  early  history  of  our  country  than  in  this  old 
parish  of  Westover. 

For  information  in  this  paper  we  are  indebted  to  Bishop  Meade's 
"Old  Churches  and  Families  in  Virginia";  Dr.  Lyon  G.  Tyler's  "Cradle 
of  the  Republic,"  and  the  only  register  of  Westover  Parish  in  ex- 
istence, dating  from  the  year  1833. 


LYNNHAVEN   PARISH.  PRINCESS  ANNE 
COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

BY    THE    REV.    C.    B.    BRYAN,    D.    D.,    PETERSBURG,    VA. 


^=j-p;Q,^  HE  Eastern  Shore  chapel,  built  in  1754,  is  the  last  of  three  briclc 
Colonial  churches,  which  once  stood  in  Princess  Anne  county. 
^  The  old  parish  of  Lynnhaven  takes  its  name  from  the  Lynn- 

haven  river,  famous  for  its  oysters;  which,  in  turn,  probably 
took  its  name  from  the  town  of  Lynn,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Ouse,  in  the  county  of  Norfolk,  in  England.  Lynnhaven  Parish  was  set 
off  from  Elizabeth  River  Parish  in  1642,  and  its  bounds  covered  the 
area  now  represented  by  the  county  of  Princess  Anne;  but  it  was  at 
that  time  a  parish  in  Lower  Norfolk  county.  Princess  Anne  county, 
with  its  parish  of  Lynnhaven,  was  set  off  from  Lower  Norfolk  county 
in  16»81.  The  bounds  of  this  old  parish  remained  unchanged  for  253 
years,  but  in  1895  East  Lynnhaven  Parish,  in  which  the  Easteni  Shore 
chapel  lies,  was  set  off  from  Lynnhaven  Parish,  for  reasons  which  ap- 
pear scarcely  necessary.  This  paper  will  take  account  of  old  Lynn- 
haven Parish,  covering  Princess  Anne  county. 

To  one  who  loves  the  lower  country  and  the  salt  water,  and  to  whom 
the  earliest  traditions  of  Virginia  life  are  desHf,  there  are  few  more 
interesting  localities  in  the  State.  It  is  pre-eminently  a  Tidewater 
county;  washed  by  the  broad  Atlantic  on  the  east,  with  a  long  range  of 
sand  dunes  from  north  to  south  on  its  shore;  penetrated  by  the  waters 
of  Currituck  Sound  on  the  south,  with  the  best  duck  shooting  in  the 
country;  cut  up  by  branches  of  the  Elizabeth  river  on  the  west,  with, 
charming  old  homes  scattered  along  its  banks,  and  by  Lynnhaven  river 
on  the  north;  and  with  Chesapeake  Bay  lying  on  its  whole  northern 
side,  it  is  a  land  rich  in  all  the  scenes,  and  life,  and  products  of  our 
sea  and  rivers,  and  it  soon  attracted  the  early  settlers  in  Virginia.  The 
soil  is  a  deep  loam,  covered,  where  not  cleared,  with  forests  of  pine  and 
oak  and  holly  on  the  higher  parts,  and  in  the  extensive  swamps  with 
huge  gum  trees,  cypress  and  junipers,  and  with  a  tangle  of  many  kinds 
of  vines  and  climbers.  The  red  cedars  love  the  banks  of  the  river 
shores,  and  liere  and  there  great  live-oaks,  ages  old,  are  landmarks  in 
the  neighborhoods.     The  long  gray  moss  swings  from  the  forest  trees. 


266 

and  the  undergrowth  is  fragrant  with  its  green  myrtle  and  with  many 
rare  plants,  not  often  found  in  Virginia  north  of  Lynnhaven  Parish; 
conspicuous  among  these  are  the  yellow  jessamine,  wreathing  the  fence 
rows  in  spring,  and  in  the  summer  the  gorgeous  yellow  flowers  of  the 
great  lotus,  or  water  chinquapin  (wanquapin,  the  Indians  called  it), 
with  its  cone-shaped  seed  vessels  and  its  hard  nuts,  standing  in  the 
fresh  water  ponds  near  the  seashore. 

On  the  northeast  point  of  the  Parish  of  Lynnhaven,  at  Cape  Henry, 
our  English  ancestors  first  touched  and  claimed  our  land.  And  from 
the  settlements  on  the  northern  side  of  James  river  they  began  at  an 
early  period  to  settle  the  southern  shore  opposite  Old  Point.  In  1620 
one  John  Wood,  a  shipwright,  received  a  patent  of  land  on  Elizabeth 
river  because  of  the  excellent  ship  timber  and  good  shores  for  launch 
ing  there.  The  earliest  settlements  on  the  southern  shore  of  the  nay 
were  at  first  included  in  the  corporation  of  Elizabeth  City,  now  Eliza- 
beth City  county,  from  which  direction  the  settlers  came;  and  in  1629 
Adam  Thoroughgood  (a  progenitor  of  our  bisho-p-coadjutor,  Dr.  Tuck- 
er)  lived  in  what  is  now  Lynnhaven  Parish,  but  was  a  representative 
of  the  Borough  of  Elizabeth  City  in  the  House  of  Burgesses.  His 
quaint  house,  still  standing,  is,  perhaps,  the  oldest  residence  in  the 
State. 

The  Church  followed  these  early  settlers  before  any  separate  county 
organization  was  effected.  And  here,  as  in  many  cases,  the  parish  is 
older  than  the  county.  Elizabeth  River  Parish,  whose  earliest  record- 
ed church  was  in  existence  as  early  as  1635,  is  older  than  Lower  Nor- 
folk county,  which  was  set  off  from  Nansemond  in  1649;  while  Lynn- 
haven Parish,  which  was  set  off  from  Elizabeth  River  Parish  in  1642, 
is  fifty-two  years  older  than  Princess  Anne  county,  which  was  set  off 
from  Lower  Norfolk  county  in  1691. 

The  early  days  of  the  Church  in  Lower  Norfolk  county  w^ere  troubled 
by  a  Puritan  element,  which  had  come  into  Virginia  in  1641,  during 
that  political  and  ecclesiastical  upheaval  which  was  convulsing  the 
mother  country. 

A  prominent  clergyman,  the  Reverend  Thomas  Harrison,  who  had 
been  chaplain  to  Governor  Berkeley,  turned  Puritan  in  1644.  was 
obliged  to  leave  Jamestown,  and  went,  first  to  Nansemond,  where  the 
Puritans  were  strong,  and  then  into  Lower  Norfolk  county. 

Whether  he  had  charge  of  both  parishes  in  the  county.  I  cannot 
state,  but  certain  it  is  that  the  vestry  of  Elizabeth  River  Parish  pre- 


267 

sented  him  before  the  Governor  and  Council  "for  not  reading  the  booke 
of  Common  Prayer  and  for  not  adminstring  the  sacrament  of  Baptisme 
according  to  the  Cannons  and  for  not  catechising  on  Sunnedayes  in 
the  afternoone  according  to  the  act  of  Assembly,"  with  the  result  that 
he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  Colony,  which  he  did,  going  to  Maryland. 
Such  was  the  loyalty  of  the  people  of  Lower  Norfolk  county  to  the 
Church  in  1645. 

The  vestries  were  no  less  careful  of  the  morals  of  the  people,  and 
the  same  year  which  records  the  presentment  of  Mr.  Harrison  for 
nonconformity  records  the  presentment  by  Edward  Hill  and  John  Mar- 
tin, church  wardens  of  Lynnhaven,  of  parties  for  immorality;  and  in 
1674,  another  party  guilty  of  slander  was  condemned  to  be  flogged, 
"and  shall  stand  three  Saboath  dayes  in  the  parish  church  of  Lynn- 
haven,  the  congragacon  there  being  present,  with  a  paper  on  his  head 
written    with    these    words    following    with    Capitall    letters,     (vizt)     I 

als  yeoman  doe  Stand  here  to  acknowledge  the  great  wrong 

I   have  done   in  the  slandering  Mrs.   Hall   with   my  tongue.     And   the 

said als  yeoman  shall  pay  the  Court  charges  als  execucon, 

and  the  church  wardens  of  Lynhaven  parish  or  eyther  of  them  are  to 
see  the  due  performance  of  this  order  as  they  will  answer  the  con- 
trary to  theire  perrills." 

In  1648  the  Reverend  Robert  Powis,  who  had  been  minister  of  the 
churches  in  Lower  Norfolk  ever  since  Parson  Harrison  deserted  the 
ministry  of  the  church,  was  inducted  minister  of  both  Elizabeth  River 
and  Lynnhaven  Parishes. 

In  1649,  on  the  petition  of  Parson  Powis,  it  was  ordered  by  the  court 
that  the  parish  of  Lynnhaven  shall  call  a  vestry  on  Easter  Monday 
next  and  choose  church  wardens.  Lancaster  Lovett  was  one  of  the 
church  wardens  chosen,  and,  in  165Q,  it  was  recorded  that  he  presented 

unto   the  court   "for   a   common   blasphemer   and    swearer, 

both  at  home  and  abroad,  and  for  a  most  impudent  and  shameful  car- 
riage  towards    a    widow    woman,    being   her   servant.     It    is    therefore 

ordered  that  a  warrant  issue  forth  for  the for 

his  personal  appearance  at  the  next  court  to  make  answer  for  his 
presentment." 

In  1649  Parson  Powis  was  minister  of  Lynnhaven  alone,  another  min- 
ister being  now  in  charge  of  Elizabeth  River  Parish,  and  it  is  most 
notable  as  illustrating  the  unflinching  discipline  administered  by  the 
wardens  and  courts  of  the  county,  that  when  this  minister  of  Eliza- 
beth River  Parish  was  himself  found  guilty  of  immorality,  the  court 


~ "  268 

■promptly  took  his  case  in  hand,  and  on  November  10th,  1049,  ordered 

that    "whereas    Mr.    ,    minister    of    Elizabeth    River 

Parish,    hath    acknowledged    to    have    committed    the    grievous    sin    of 

;    now  upon  ye  hearty  contrition  of  the   said   Mr.  

concerning  his  said  foul  offense,  presented  to  the  Cort  in  writing 
under  his  own  hand,  it  is  therefore  ordered,  that  he  do  make  the 
same  confession  in  both  churches  by  reading  the  said  writing  to  the 
people  two  several  Sundayes  Vizt  Sunday  next  Come  Senight  at  ye 
parish  Church  &  ye  Sabboath  day  following  at  ye  Chappell." 

It  must  not  be  imagined  from  these  presentments  that  this  section 
was  notoriously  immoral,  although  the  case  of  the  clergyman  was 
certainly  exceptional.  The  records  of  the  mother  country  and  of  the 
Colonies  north  and  south  of  Virginia  show  that  this  period  was  marked 
by  a  general  laxity  of  morals.  But  what  the  records  of  these  courts 
and  parishes  indicate  is  a  conscientious  and  unflinching  discharge  of 
their  duty  on   the   part  of   the   church   wardens  and   cotmty   courts. 

The  Reverend  Robert  Powis  died  between  the  2d  of  December,  1651, 
and  the  21st  of  December,  1652,  when  an  inventory  of  his  estate  was 
reported.  It  is  most  interesting  to  notice  what  this  old  parson  died 
possessed  of.  It  was  as  follows,  and  the  values  are  given  in  pounds 
of  tobacco: 

Lbs.  Tob. 

Imprimis    Seaven    Milch    Cowes    at    3500 

Itm  six  Calves  of  a  yere  ould  apeece  &  ye  advantage  att 1100 

Itm  Two  Steeres  of  fower  yeres  ould  apeece  or  thereabouts  att.  .  . .   0900 

Itm  Three  steeres  of  two  yeres  ould  apeece 1050 

Itm  two  younge  Sowes  &  and  one  barrowe  shott  at   0200 

Itm    two    Barrowes    &   two    Sowes    at    0800 

Itm:    one  feather  bedd,  one  boulster,   &  one  ould   blankett 0400 

Itm  two  paire  ot  ould  Canvas  sheetes  &  one  hoUand  sheete....   0160 
Itm  two  ould  pillow  beeres,  five  towells,  two  paire  fustain  draw- 
ers one  ould  shirte  five  ould  bands,  two  paire  of  Cuffes 0060 

Itm  three  Coates,  three  Cassukes,  two  suits  of  cloathes  two  paire 

of  stockings  all  ould  att    0250 

Itm  two  &  thirtye  bookes  at  0500 

Itm  one  chest,  one  box   2:    cases  &  two  ould   tables,  one  couch, 

&    one    Chaire     0350 

Itm  3:  ould  Iron  potts,  3  old  skilletts  one  fryinge  pann  one  drip- 
pinge  pan  one  fire  shovell,  two  paire  of  tonges.  one  chaffing 
dish     0200 


269 

Itm  Six  pewter  rlishes,  one  pewter  salt,  one  pewter  Candlesticke 
one  drinkinge  Cupp,  one  dram  cupp,  one  hatchett,  one  hammer 

all  att    0070 

Itm    Six    barrens    of    Corne    0480 

Itm  one  boate,  fower  oares,  &  two  skulls    0600 

Itm  one  pestle,  one  brasse  kettle  &  five  ould  trayes 0080 


10700 

five  bills  amoimtinge  to  ye  Some  of 320 

Received  of  Coll:   Yeardley  with  Caske 600 

920 

Totall  some  is 11620   1  tob 

Leift  Keelinge 
Henery  Snayle 
Appraisers     Owen  Hayes  their  markes     :/" 

John  Martin 

What  light  an  inventory  like  this  throws  upon  the  life  of  the  country 
parson  in  Virginia  in  the  early  Colonial  period!  After  the  death  of 
Parson  Powis,  there  appears  to  have  been  no  minister  in  Lower  Nor- 
folk county  until  December,  1654,  when  the  grand  jury  made  presentment 
of  "the  general  breach  of  the  Sabbath  throughout  the  whole  county, 
which  we  conceive  is  most  chiefly  occasioned  through  want  of  a  godly 
minister  among  us  in  the  county,  wherefore  we  humbly  pray  and 
desire  yt  some  speedy  course  may  be  taken  to  secure  an  able  minister, 
and  some  employed  for  yt  purpose,  left  the  charge  be  what  it  will.  We 
for  our  parts  (and  hope  all  ye  rest  of  ye  county)  shall  be  verry 
willing  and  ready  to  undergo." 

Vestries  were  accordingly  ordered  to  be  held  in  the  several  parishes, 
and  a  committee  composed  of  Colonel  Francis  Yeardley,  Major  Thomas 
Lambert  and  others  were  authorized  to  appoint  a  minister  of  God's 
word  for  the  parishes  of  Lower  Norfolk.  The  committee  made  Captain 
Thomas  Willoughby  their  special  agent   in  this  matter. 

The  next  minister  mentioned  in  Lower  Norfolk  is  Mr.  Mallory,  who, 
we  conclude,  was  employed  by  the  committee  empowered  to  procure 
a  minister.  He  received  a  bill  of  tobacco  in  1657.  Next  Mr.  George 
Alford  is  mentioned  as  minister  in  1658,  and  Symon  Barrowes  received 


270 

a  tliousand  jjounds  of  tol)acco  for  dieting  the  minister  for  half  a  year. 

During  the  latter  halt  of  the  seventeenth  century  several  accusations 
of  witchcraft  were  made  against  unfortunate  persons  in  Lower  Norfolk 
and  Princess  Anne  county.  In  May,  1G55,  at  a  court  held  at  the  house 
of  Mr.  Edward  Hill,  in  Lynnhaven,  commissioners  were  appointed  to 
investigate  "divers  dangerous  and  scandalous  speeches  raised  by  some 
persons  conserning  several  women  in  this  county,  terming  them  to  be 
witches,  whereby  their  reputations  have  been  much  impaired  and  their 
lives  brought  in  question."  The  result  of  this  investigation  we  do  not 
know.  Later,  in  1675,  Captain  William  Carver,  w'ho  afterwards  lost 
his  life  in  Bacon's  Rebellion,  gave  information  "against  lone  the  wife 
of  Lazarus  Jenking,  concerning  her  being  familiar  with  evil  spirits 
and  using  witchcraft/'  etc.  Her  case  was  also  ordered  to  be  investigated, 
with  what  result  does  not  appear.  Again,  in  1699,  in  Princess  Anne 
county,  John  Byrd  and  his  wife,  Anne,  brought  suit  against  Charles 
Kinsey  for  defamation  of  Anne's  character,  declaring  that  she  was  a 
witch,  and  that  she  had  ridden  him  along  the  seaside  and  home  to  his 
house,  and  that  they,  .John  and  Anne,  were  in  league  with  the  devil; 
in  which  suit  the  defendant  professed  that  in  his  thought  and  appre- 
hensions, and  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,  they  did  serve  him  so. 
The  whole  matter  being  put  to  a  jury,  they  brought  in  a  verdict  as 
follows:  "We  the  jury  do  find  for  the  defendant.  Hugh  Campbell, 
foreman."  So  John  Byrd  and  Anne,  his  wife,  had  no  remedy,  but  re- 
mained   suspected    of    witchcraft. 

But  the  unique  trial  for  witchcraft  in  Lynnhaven  Parish  was  that  of 
Grace  Sherwood.  James  Sherwood  and  Grace,  his  wife,  were 
very  poor  and  ignorant  people,  as  the  pitiful  inventory  of 
their  goods  plainly  shows.  But  in  spite  of  her  i)leasant  name, 
Grace  got  the  reputation  of  being  a  witch.  In  1698  one  of  her 
neighbors  said  she  had  bewitched  their  cotton;  another  said  she  had 
come  into  her  at  night  and  rid  her,  and  went  out  of  the  keyhole  or 
crack  of  the  door  like  a  black  cat;  and  on  these  accusations  poor  Grace 
was  brought  before  the  justices  of  the  county,  which  cost  her  heavily, 
not  only  in  reputation  and  distress  of  mind,  but  in  heavy  expenses. 
The  family  became  poorer  than  ever.  Seven  years  passed,  during 
which  James  Sherwood  died,  and  Grace  became  a  widow.  And  now  she 
was  again  accused  by  one  Luke  Hill,  and  again  brought  into  court;  and 
after  suffering  the  law's  delay,  her  house  and  every  suspicious  place 
about  it  was  ordered  to  be  searched  carefully  for  all  images  and  such 
like  things,   which  might   in  any  way  strengthen   the  suspicion.     And 


271 

further,  "a  jury  of  Anciente  and  knowing  women"  was  summoned  to 
search  Grace  herself  bodily  for  suspicious  indications,  and  their  find- 
ings were  not  favorable  to  Grace.  This  time  she  narrowly  escaped 
ducking,  the  weather  being  bad.  The  case  and  the  evidence  was  laid 
before  the  Council  Board  of  the  Colony;  but  Mr.  Attorney  General  said 
the  charges  were  too  vague;  and  the  matter  was  referred  back  to  the 
county.  After  more  delay  and  costs,  Grace  was  ordered  to  be  tried  in 
the  water.  Now,  the  approved  way  of  trying  a  witch  in  the  water  re- 
quired that  she  should  be  "stripped  naked  and  cross  bound,  the  right 
thumb  to  the  left  toe,  and  the  left  thumb  to  the  right  toe,"  and  so  cast 
into  deep  waters.  Whether  these  requirements  were  complied  with  in 
Grace's  case  we  do  not  know. 

The  spot  on  Lynnhaven  river  whither  she  was  carried,  and  where 
she  was  bound  and  put  in  above  man's  depth,  that  they  might  "try  her 
how  she  swims,"  is  still  called  Witch  Duck.  It  is  a  very  pretty  spot. 
If  Grace  was  a  witch,  she  must  have  been  a  water  witch.  For  when 
thus  tried,  she  was  seen  to  be  "swimming  when  therein  and  bound, 
contrary  to  custom  and  the  judgment  of  the  spectators."  So  she  was 
taken  out  and  again  searched  by  more  Anciente  and  knowing  women, 
who  brought  in  the  condemning  report  that  "she  was  not  like  them,  nor 
like  any  other  women  that  they  knew." 

It  is  gratifying  to  note,  in  connection  with  this  one  witch  ducking 
in  Virginia,  that  the  sheriff  was  instructed  "therein  always  to  have  a 
care  of  her  life  to  preserve  her  from  drowning."  What  was  to  be  done 
with  such  a  woman?  The  good  people  of  Princess  Anne  were  not  pre- 
pared to  kill  her.  So  she  was  again  put  in  jail  to  be  brought  to  future 
trial.  As  there  is  no  record  of  a  further  trial,  it  is  likely  she  was  re- 
leased. She  lived  a  good  many  years.  Her  will  is  dated  1733,  and  was 
recorded  in  1740,  in  which  year  it  is  probable  that  she  died.  The  com- 
mon tradition  is  that  Grace  Sherwood  brought  rosemary  across  the  sea 
in  an  egg-shell  to  Princess  Anne,  where  the  fragrant  shrub  still 
abounds. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  at  that  period  only  a  few  people  were 
brave  enough  to  declare  their  disbelief  in  witchcraft.  As  late  as  1758 
John  Wesley  wrote:  "The  English  in  general,  and  indeed  most  of  the 
men  of  learning  in  Europe,  have  given  up  all  accounts  of  witches  'as 
mere  old  wives'  fables.  I  am  sorry  for  it,  and  I  willingly  take  the  op- 
portunity of  entering  my  solemn  protest  against  this  violent  comple- 
ment which  so  many  that  believe  the  Bible  pay  to  those  who  do  not 
believe  it."     The  last  trial  for  witchcraft  in  New  England  was  in  1692. 


272 

As  in  the  case  of  Elizabeth  River  Parish,  the  earliest  church  was 
situated  on  the  northern  shores  of  the  parish,  which  were  the  first  to  be 
settled.  It  was  doubtless,  at  first,  a  wooden  church,  but  in  1723  a  brick 
church  had  been  built.  This  brick  church  lay  within  about  a  mile  of 
the  Chesapeake,  on  the  west  side  of  Lynnhaven  river,  and  just  where 
that  river  ran  into  a  long  estuary,  which  extended  east  and  west,  con- 
necting Linkhorn  Bay,  Broad  Bay,  Lynnhaven  River,  and  at  that  time 
emptying  into  the  Chesapeake  at  Little  Creek,  the  dividing  line  be- 
tween Lynnhaven  and  Elizabeth  River  Parishes.  This  topography  has 
been  strangely  altered  by  a  circumstance  which  will  be  mentioned  later. 

In  1723  the  Reverend  James  Tennant  was  minister  of  the  parish, 
Mr.  Maxmillian  Boush  was  church  warden  and  Colonel  Edward  Mosley, 
Capt.  John  Mosley,  Capt.  Henry  Chapman,  Charles  Sayer,  Mr.  William 
Elgood  and  Capt.  Francis  Land  were  vestrymen.  Charles  Sayer  was 
clerk  of  the  vestry,  Mr.  James  Nimmo  was  clerk  of  the  church  and  of 
one  chapel,  there  being  at  that  time  two  chapels  in  the  parish  besides 
the  church.  Tlie  roof  of  this  brick  church  was  found  in  1724  to  be 
too  rotten  to  be  repaired,  which,  considering  the  quality  of  shingles 
used  in  those  days,  indicates  a  very  considerable  age.  A  new  roof  was 
ordered  to  be  put  on,  and  the  roof  was  ordered  to  be  tarred,  a  practice 
still  sometimes  resorted  to  in  old  Princess  Anne.  It  does  not  produce 
a  thing  of  beauty,  but  comes  near  lasting  forever. 

At  the  same  time  Captain  Hillary  Mosley  was  given  leave  to  gratify 
himself  by  the  erection,  at  his  own  cost,  of  a  pew  for  his  family  over 
the  chancel  door,  taking  up  as  little  room  as  possible.  These  family 
gallery  pews  were  a  highly  esteemed  feature  of  our  Colonial  churches. 

Ttie  Reverend  James  Tennant  continued  minister  until  1726,  but 
after  November,  1726,  when  his  salary  of  16,000  pounds  of  tobacco  was 
recorded  in  the  year's  accounts,  nothing  more  was  heard  of  him;  per- 
haps he  had  died.  On  November  2d,  1726,  Mr.  Nicholas  Jones,  minister, 
was  employed  temporarily  to  preach  at  the  Brick  church,  and  at  each 
of  the  chapels  once  every  month,  and  for  each  sermon  he  preached 
he  was  to  receive  400  pounds  of  tobacco  in  cask,  to  be  levied  for  him  in 
the  next  parish  levy,  which  might  be  something  like  a  year  later.  One 
of  the  embarrassing  difficulties  which  Colonial  parsons  had  to  contend 
with,  was  pay  long  deferred.  This  paucity  of  sermons  was  to  be 
supplemented  by  Mr.  James  Nimmo  reading  every  Sunday  in  the  Brick 
church,  and  John  Dawley  reading  in  the  Eastern  Shore  chapel,  Mr. 
Peacock  reading  in  the  Upper  chapel,  sometimes  called  Pungo  or  Machi- 
pungo.    This  continued  through  the  years  1727-'28. 


273 

In  1728,  while  trying  to  secure  a  minister,  the  vestry  had  a  curious 
difficulty  with  the  Reverend  Thomas  Baly,  "who  contrary  to  the  desire 
of  this  vestry  insisted  on  being  our  minister."  The  vestry  sent  Mr. 
James  Nimmo  as  their  representative  to  the  Governor  to  secure  his 
assistance  in  this  awkward  case,  and  as  might  be  expected,  the  Rev- 
erend Thomas  Baly  was  removed. 

In  1729  the  Reverend  John  Marsden  was  employed  on  the  same  terms 
that  Mr.  Jones  had  been,  and  on  November  14,  1729,  the  Reverend 
Henry  Barlow  was  regularly  employed  as  minister  of  the  parish  at  a 
salary  of  16,000  pounds  of  tobacco  in  cask. 

There  were  in  the  parish  at  this  time,  a  church  and  two  chapels, 
that  is,  the  old  Brick  church  on  the  bay  shore,  an  old  wooden  chapel, 
standing  where  the  Eastern  Shore  chapel  now  stands,  about  three 
miles  from  the  sea,  which  old  chapel  was  replaced  by  a  new  frame 
building  not  long  afterwards,  and  the  Pungo  chapel,  already  referred  to, 
about  four  miles  southeast  of  Princess  Anne  courthouse.  There 
were  also  two  reading  places,  one  on  Knot's  Island,  in  the  southeast 
part  of  the  parish,  and  one  in  the  Black  Water  District.  The  old 
Brick  church  on  the  bay  shore  was  found  insufficient  and  badly  lo- 
cated. It  was  given  up  as  a  church  in  March,  1736,  and  turned  into  a 
schoolhouse.  How  long  it  was  used  as  a  schoolhouse  is  not  known, 
but  it  came  to  the  following  curious  end :  some  of  the  parishioners 
were  engaged  in  the  fishing  business,  and  had  their  fishing  shores  on 
the  bay  shore  north  of  the  estuary  running  east  and  west,  on  the 
southern  shore  of  which  the  church  was  situated.  This  made  it  neces- 
sary for  them  to  cross  this  estuary,  or  else  follow  it  westward  several 
miles  and  so  reach  the  bay  shore,  and  then  come  back  to  the  fishing 
points,  opposite  their  homes.  To  avoid  this  detour  they  determined 
to  cut  a  short  and  narrow  waterway  from  a  point  opposite  where  the 
Lynnhaven  river  ran  into  the  estuary,  out  to  the  Chesapeake.  It  was 
a  considerable  undertaking,  but  they  accomplished  it  with  conse- 
quences far  greater  than  any  one  at  first  imagined.  The  winter  storms 
from  the  northeast  opened  the  new  inlet  more  and  more  until  it  be- 
came a  broad,  deep  current;  the  sands  encroached  upon  the  old  outlet 
and  practically  filled  it  up;  but  most  serious  of  all  the  waters  of  the 
new  inlet  cut  closer  and  closer  to  the  church  grounds  until  most  of  the 
graveyard  was  submerged,  and  the  tombs  and  bones  of  many  of  the 
dead  found  their  last  resting  place  in  the  bottom  of  Lynnhaven  river, 
at  a  point  still  called  Church  Point. 


274 

Bishop  Meade  reports  a  communication  to  the  above  effect,  and  the 
I)resent  writer  heard  it  repeated  and  substantiated  about  1S79,  by  the 
venerable  Mr.  Solomon  Keeling,  whose  family  had  owned  land  for 
generations  on  Lynnhaven  river,  and  who  said  that  some  of  his  an- 
cestors had  assisted  in  cutting  the  ditch  which  is  now  represented  by 
the  deep,  strong  mouth  of  Lynnhaven  river.  The  Bishop's  informant 
added  as  a  finishing  touch,  that  "in  1819  Commodore  Decatur  and  an- 
other eminent  person  still  living  (i.  e.,  when  the  Bishop  wrote)  were 
bathing  there,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  river  were  enabled,  by  feeling 
with  their  toes,  to  decipher  the  names  of  those  they  (the  tombstones) 
had  covered  before  the  waters  of  the  bay  had  carried  away  the  church- 
yard." 

In  173G,  when  the  old  church  was  turned  into  a  schoolhouse,  a  new 
church,  larger  and  more  centrally  located,  was  built  on  one  acre  ol 
ground  at  the  Ferry  Farm.  This  came  later  to  be  known  as  the  Dona- 
tion church,  from  its  being  near  a  donation  of  land  given  by  a  subse- 
quent rector,  of  whom  we  shall  hear.  It  was  ordered  to  be  sixty-five 
feet  long,  thirty  feet  wide  on  the  inside,  the  walls  to  be  fifteen  feet 
high  and  three  bricks  thick  from  the  ground  to  the  water  table,  and 
two  bricks  thick  above  the  water  table  to  the  top.  This  church  was 
received  by  the  vestry  from  Peter  Malbone,  the  builder,  on  June  25, 
1736.  In  the  same  year  the  glebe  house  was  repaired  and  added  to. 
The  new  church  was  evidently  a  matter  of  pride  in  the  parish,  and  the 
wardens  had  to  take  extra  care  to  get  the  congregailons  propeiiy 
located  and  settled  in  the  church.  Therefore  it  was  ordered  by  the 
vestry,  July  10,  1736,  that  "For  preserving  order  and  decency,  peace 
and  haimony  in  the  new  church  'tis  resolved  and  the  vestry  do  hereby 
assign  and  appoint  the  two  opposite  great  pews  for  the  Magistratef  and 
their  wives;  the  next  adjoining  pew  on  the  north  side  of  ye  Church 
for  the  family  of  the  Thoroughgoods  as  their  privilege  in  considera- 
tion of  the  gift  of  our  glebe  by  that  family;  the  third  great  pew  on 
ye  north  side  for  ye  Vestrymen  and  their  wives;  J<rd  ye  pew  on  ye 
nonh  side  of  yc  Communion  table  is  consigned  to  tn^  family  and  name 
of  the  Walkes  as  a  benefit  formerly  granted  them  in  consideration  of 
gifts  and  services  made  and  done  by  Col.  Tho.  Walke  dec'd.  and  Col. 
Ant  ho.  Walke,  Sen'r;  the  next  great  pew  on  the  south  side  for  the 
elder  women  of  good  repute  and  magistrates'  daughters;  the  other 
great  pew  on  ye  same  side  for  such  women  as  ye  church  wardens  with 
the  approbation  of  the  Vestry  shall  think  fit  to  place  there." 

"Resolved,  That   Mr.   Patrick  Hackett  is  a  fit   person  to  sit  uv  in   the 


275 

gallery  to  keep  everybody  in  order,  and  if  the  boys  or  any  other  person 
will  be  not  restrained  but  do  any  indecency,  he  is  hereby  required  lo 
report  the  same  to  the  church  wardens,  who  are  desired  to  take  proper 
measures  to  punish  such  disorderly  person:  Likewise  Mr.  Francis 
Mosely  is  appointed  to  look  out  of  doors  and  if  any  person  or  persons 
are  sitting  and  talking  or  committing  any  indecency  during  divine  ser- 
vice he  is  hereby  empowered  to  commit  them  to  the  care  of  the  con- 
stable, and  inform  the  church  wardens  thereof,  to  be  dealt  with  as  the 
law   requires — Char.    Sayer,   CI.   Vestry." 

But  it  was  easier  for  the  vestry  to  pass  these  resolutions  than  to  get 
them  accepted  and  complied  with.  Some  of  the  congregation  seem  to 
have  resented  the  manner  in  which  they  were  disposed  of,  and  Mr. 
Hackett  in  the  gallery,  Mr.  Walke  the  church  warden,  and  Mr.  Mosely, 
who  was  "appointed  to  look  out  of  doors,"  found  their  offices  no  sine- 
cures when  they  undertook  to  arrange  and  settle  the  congregation;  and 
at  their  next  meeting  on  October  16th  the  vestry  had  to  resolve  further 
that  "Whereas  several  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  parish  has  not  thought 
fit  to  accept  off,  and  others  to  keep  to  the  seats  the  church  wardens 
have  assigned  to  and  placed  them  in  the  new  church  lately  built  to  the 
great  disturbance  and  disorder  of  ye  congregation;  to  prevent  which 
disorder  in  ye  said  church  for  the  future,  we,  the  vestry  of  ye  said 
church,  have  met  at  ye  parish  church,  and  after  due  consideration  have 
assigned  and  Registered  the  adjacent  persons  and  familys  according  to 
their  several  stations,  ye  most  proper  seats  or  pews;  do  hereby  publish 
and  declare  that  who  or  whatsoever  person  or  persons  shall  assume  to 
themselves  a  power  or  take  the  liberty  to  place  themselves  or  others 
in  any  other  seats  or  pews  in  ye  said  church,  shall  be  esteemed  a  dis- 
orderly person,  and  may  exnect  to  i^e  dealt  with  according  to  law: 
and  we  do  further  impower  and  appoint  ye  church  wardens  for  the 
future  to  place  all  persons  in  the  church  of  ye  said  parish.  Teste, 
Char.  Sayer,  CI.  Vestry." 

Evidently  the  parish  was  in  a  ferment,  and  the  vestry  was  exerting 
its  utmost  authority.  But  with  what  results  we  are  not  told.  But 
now  one  visiting  the  spot  sees  the  walls  of  the  old  Donation  church 
standing  in  their  plaintive  dilapidation  in  the  lonely  woods,  with  the 
big  trees  growing  up  within  its  walls,  where  the  coveted  "great  pews" 
used  to  be,  and  the  disputants  of  former  days  lie  about  it  in  unmarked 
graves.     Let  us  hope  that  in  another  world  their  spirits  are  at  peace. 

The  accounts  kept  by  these  old  ves*^ries  of  their  many  and  various 
duties  are  most  interesting,  and  often  they  were  beautifully  kept.     The 


276 

salary  of  the  rector  was  generally  Kl.OdO  pounds  of  tobacco.  In  Lynn- 
haven,  Mr.  Ezra  Brook,  clerk  of  the  church,  received  1,000  pounds  for 
his  services;  Mr.  William  Keeling,  clerk  of  the  Eastern  Shore  chapel, 
also  1,000  pounds;  and  Mr.  Andrew  Peacock,  clerk  of  the  Upper  chapeL 
a  like  1,000  pounds. 

The  care  of  the  poor  was  especially  the  vestry's  charge.  They  seem 
not  to  have  been  kept  in  a  poorhouse  but  scattered  in  households 
here  and  there  in  the  parish,  the  householder  receiving  from  2.50  to  600 
pounds  of  tobacco  a  year,  according  to  the  age  and  condition  of  the 
child  or  person.  Every  four  years  the  parish  had  to  be  processioned 
under  the  direction  of  the  vestry.  For  this  purpose  it  was  divided  into 
precincts,  Princess  Anne  being  divided  into  ten.  The  precinct  repre- 
sented a  neighborhood.  The  processioners  at  the  time  appointed  went 
around  the  metes  and  bounds  of  every  farm  in  the  precinct,  and  set- 
tled all  disputes  about  boundaries  upon  the  spot.  This  having  been 
twice  done  in  any  case  by  the  processioners  without  an  appeal  being 
taken  from  their  decision,  gave  a  title  from  whicli  there  was  no  fur- 
ther appeal. 

The  doctor  of  the  parish  frequently  appears  in  the  church  accounts,, 
and  in  Princess  Anne  he  not  infrequently  brought  in  bills  for  sali- 
vating some  poor  patient,  which  cost  the  parish  1,000  pounds  of  to- 
bacco, and  perhaps  cost  the  patient  his  teeth. 

The  tobacco  with  which  these  various  expenses  were  defrayed  was 
raised  by  a  yearly  levy  laid  by  the  vestry  upon  the  "tithables"  in  the 
parish;  a  "tithable"  being  a  person  from  whom  tithes  or  levies  might 
be  collected.  At  this  period  in  Virginia,  the  tithables  consisted  of  all 
male  servants  (white  servants  being  intended),  all  negro  servants, 
male  or  female,  above  the  age  of  sixteen,  and  all  Indian  servants,  maie 
or  female,  above  the  age  of  sixteen.  The  levy  varied  according  to  the 
requirements  of  the  year.  Sometimes  it  was  as  much  as  50  pounds 
of  tobacco  from  each  tithable,  sometimes  much  less. 

In  17o&  a  new  chapel  was  ordered  to  be  built  to  take  the  placr  of  the 
old  Pungo  chapel.  It  was  to  be  of  brick,  but  it  does  not  appear  to 
have  been  done;   at  least,  it  is  not  recorded  as  having  been  received. 

The  Reverend  Henry  Barlow,  who  became  minister  in  Octoi3er,  1729, 
continued  in  charge  of  the  parish  until  some  time  in  1747 — eighteen 
years.  During  his  ministry  many  improvements  were  made;  the 
Donation  church  Avas  built  and  various  additions  were  made  to  the 
glebe  house  and  proi)erty. 

In  1748  Mr.  Barlow  was  succeeded  liv  the  Reverend   Roliert  Dickson, 


277 

Avho  first  appeared  as  minister  of  tlie  parisli  in  July  of  that  year.  He 
•continued  in  cliarge  until  1776,  nearly  twenty-eight  years.  During 
Mr.  Dickson's  ministry,  in  1754,  the  present  Eastern  Shoi'e  chapel 
was  built,  the  third  church  to  be  built  at  that  spot.  The  second 
wooden  chapel  was  still  standing  when  the  present  brick  chapel  was 
built  in  1754.  In  the  order  for  its  construction  it  is  described  as  35 
feet  long,  25  feet  wide  in  the  clear,  with  a  convenient  large  gallery 
at  the  west  end;  the  walls  to  be  18  feet  high,  with  three  windows  on 
•each  side,  two  at  the  east  end,  and  one  in  the  gallery.  "The  Com- 
munion to  be  railed  and  ballusttred";  the  walls  to  be  two  bricks  and 
a  half  thick  from  the  foundation  to  the  water  table,  and  two  bricks 
thick  upward;  the  windows  to  be  of  good  crown  glass,  eight  by  ten 
inches,  six  lights  by  three  beside  the  arch.  The  middle  aisle  to  be 
five  feet  wide,  with  four  wainscot  pews,  with  two  on  the  north  and  two 
on  the  south  side  thereof.  The  whole  church  to  be  completely  painted, 
where  it  is  requisite,  a  sky  color.  It  was  to  be  covered  with  heart 
•cypress  shingles. 

In  October,  1753,  Mr.  Joseph  Mitchell,  of  Norfolk,  contracted  to  build 
the  chapel  and  undertook  to  finish  it  by  Christmas,  1754,  for  324 
pounds,  10  shillings  sterling.  It  was  actually  finished  and  received 
by  the  vestry  March  12,  1755. 

In  1772,  23,000  pounds  of  tobacco  were  raised  for  the  purpose  of 
building  Pungo  Chapel. 

The  long  and  uninterrupted  ministry  of  the  Reverend  Thomas  Dick- 
son or  Dixoji,  as  his  name  was  sometimes  spelled,  came  to  an  end 
;some  time  between  the  25th  of  February  and  the  26th  of  November, 
1776.  The  Register  of  the  parish  was  then  lodged  with  Mr.  Edward 
Mosley,  clerk  of  the  Brick  church  (afterwards  called  Donation),  that 
he  might  register  all  the  births  of  the  parish  until  further  orders.  The 
will  of  Mr.  Dickson  was  admitted  to  record  February  14,  1777.  By  it 
he  made  provision  for  the  support  of  his  widow,  and  then  left  his  land 
and  slaves  in  trust  to  the  vestry  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  free 
school  for  the  education  of  orphan  boys. 

The  vestry  undertook  to  carry  out  the  will,  and  after  several  at- 
tempts to  secure  a  teacher,  on  December  8,  1780,  they  employed  Mr. 
George  Stephenson  to  keep  the  Dickson  Free  School,  giving  him  the 
use  of  the  plantation  on  easy  conditions;  among  them  that  he  should 
teach  six  poor  children  assigned  him,  and  seventeen  children  on  his 
own  account,  who  would  pay  for  their  schooling. 

The    Church    was    now    in    troublous    and    revolutionary    times,    and 


278 

Lynnhaven  sutferec]  accordingly.  The  Reverend  Mr.  Dickson  had  died 
in  the  great  ye;ir  ITTC,  when  the  full  force  of  the  spirit  of  the  Revo- 
lution was  abroad  in  the  land,  and  nothing  felt  that  force  more  dis- 
astrously than  the  Church.  Not  that  the  Church  was  opposed  to  the 
Revolution,  for  the  Revolution  was  begun,  sustained  and  consummated 
l;y  the  most  prominent  Churchmen  in  Virginia.  In  Princess  Anne 
county,  as  in  all  the  other  counties,  the  vestrymen  and  officers  of  the 
church  are  found  upon  the  county  committees,  who  guided  and  sus- 
tained the  Revolution  throughout  the  country.  Fourteen  of  the  twenty- 
five  names  of  that  committee  in  Princess  Anne  in  1774-'7a  are  found 
among  the  vestry  and  officers  of  the  church. 

But  not  only  was  the  whole  country  distracted  and  absorbed  by  the 
disturbances  of  the  Revolution,  but  the  men  who  were  its  avowed  pro- 
moters, felt  that  there  was  much  growing  out  of  the  connection  be- 
tween the  Church  and  the  State,  which  must  needs  be  modified  by  the 
Revolution  which  they  were  advocating.  It  was  at  this  period  also 
That  the  Church  was  violently  attacked  by  the  Dissenters  in  Virginia, 
who  were  Revolutionists,  not  only  as  concerned  civil  questions,  but 
still  more  violently  in  their  hatred  and  opposition  to  the  Church.  They 
very  naturally  took  advantage  of  the  disturbances  incident  to  the  Rev- 
olution and  of  the  difficulties  growing  out  of  the  connection  between 
the  Church  and  the  State,  which  difficulties  the  leaders  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, who  were  themselves  Churchmen,  were  contending  with  and 
seeking  to  solve  in  the  way  which  would  involve  least  disturbance  and 
loss  to  the  religious  interests  of  the  country. 

The  Dissenters,  however,  were  not  at  all  concerned  to  avoid  dis- 
turbance, but  rather  courted  it;  not  to  prevent  any  loss  that  might 
befall  the  Church,  but  did  all  in  their  power  to  destroy  it;  and  by  agi- 
tation and  opposition  in  the  parishes,  as  well  as  by  appeals  with  which 
they  flooded  the  Convention  of  the  patriots,  the  large  majority  of 
whom  were  Churchmen,  they  hampered  and  weakened  the  infiuence  of 
the  Church  in  all  directions,  little  regarding  the  invaluable  work  that 
the  Church  had  done  for  the  moral  and  religious  civilization  of  the 
land,  under  unspeakable  difficulties,  from  the  very  foundations  of  the 
country. 

The  weak  point  in  the  Church  system  in  Virginia  from  the  first,  con- 
sisted in  the  fact  that,  while  it  was  an  Episcopal  Church,  it  was  at 
once  without  a  Bishop  and  dependent  upon  an  uncertain  and  scant 
supply  of  clergy.  Naturally  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  vestries,  and 
the  records  of  the  work  of  the  vestries  show  what  in  the  circumstances 


279 

must  be  regarded  as  admirable  faithlulness  and  efficiency  on  tlie  part 
of  these  laymen.  Especially  do  the  records  show  devotion  to  the 
Church  of  their  fathers,  and  a  genuine  effort  to  advance  the  moral  and 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  country;  but  they  worked  as  laymen,  and  their 
work  was  rarely  balanced  or  sustained  by  sufficient  clerical  force. 
Their  duties  were  manifold,  covering  the  work  of  a  number  of  sala- 
ried officials  in  our  present  county  system,  and  this  work  they  did 
without  other  compensation  than  the  honor  and  satisfaction  of  serv- 
ing the  community.  But  the  most  marked  characteristic  of  a  Virginia 
vestry  was  the  jealousy  with  which  these  men  regarded  their  rights 
and  liberties.  They  resented,  and  generally  successfully,  everything 
that  they  regarded  as  an  encroachment  upon  their  rights,  whether 
made  by  the  local  parson,  whom  they  generally  managed  to  keep  quite 
at  their  mercy,  or  by  the  Bishop's  commissary,  or  by  the  Governor,  or 
even  if  it  was  a  decision  fortified  by  the  Attorney-General  of  the  Eng- 
lish  Crown. 

This  spirit  of  independence  which  they  had  cultivated  for  many  a 
year,  was  now  bringing  fruit  in  the  Revolution;  and  they  were  more 
absorbed  in  the  question  of  civil  liberty  than  in  any  other.  It  is  not 
surprising,  therefore,  that  the  set  of  men  in  Virginia,  who  composed, 
at  once,  the  vestries  in  their  several  parishes,  and  who  were  also  the 
magistrates,  justices,  burgesses,  and  from  whom  the  Council  Board 
of  the  Commonwealth  was  taken,  were  found  in  those  days  of  political 
upheaval  to  be  somewhat  neglectful  of  what  they  regarded  as  the  minor 
matters  of  the  parish.  Thus  it  was  that  for  two  full  years  after  1780 
there  was  no  vestry  meeting  in  Princess  Anne.  This  was  complained 
of  to  the  General  Assembly,  and  in  May,  1783,  an  act  was  passed  dis- 
solving the  vestry  of  Lynnhaven,  and  ordering  the  election  of  another 
vestry.  The  sheriff  acted  as  directed  by  the  Assembly,  and  on  Novem- 
ber 7,  1783,  made  return  of  the  new  vestry,  which  consisted  of  twelve 
men,  all  but  two  or  three  of  them  vestrymen  of  the  past,  so  that  the 
affairs  of  the  parish  were  still  committed  by  the  freeholders  to  the  old 
hands. 

The  same  Assembly  which  dissolved  the  vestry  of  Lynnhaven  parish 
in  1783  established  Kempsville,  in  princess  Anne  county,  to  be  a  town. 

In  October,  1784,  the  General  Assembly  passed  an  act  by  which  the 
minister  and  vestry  of  any  parish  became  a  corporation,  or  in  the  ab- 
sence of  a  minister  the  vestry  became  incorporate.  This  act  was  to  go 
into  effect  on  Monday  in  Easter  Week,  being  March  28,  1785,  on  which 
day   all    existing   vestries    were   declared    dissolved,   and    new   vestries 


280 

ordered  to  be  elected  on  that  Easter  Monday,  1785,  or  else  on  the  next 
fair  day,  in  case  that  proved  a  foul  day. 

It  may  be  noted  that  the  same  General  Assembly  of  1784  made  it  law- 
ful for  an  ordained  minister  of  any  Christian  society  whatever  to  cele- 
brate lawful  marriages  in  Virginia,  provided  such  minister  received 
the  license  of  the  county  so  to  do.  And  for  even  the  Quakers  and 
Menonites  to  solemnize  their  own  marriages,  either  with  or  without  a 
ceremony,  only  provided  it  was  done  publicly.  This  Assembly  also 
declared  certain  marriages  to  be  legal,  which  had  been  performed  by 
laymen  in  the  absence  of  any  minister,  or  by  others  who  had  no  legal 
right  to  perform  marriages.  So  the  Church  parson  was  not  nearly  so 
essential  after  1784  as  he  had  been. 

Acting  in  accord  with  this  direction  of  the  Assembly,  an  election 
for  vestry  to  take  place  on  Monday  in  Easter  Week,  1785,  was  adver- 
tised. When  this  meeting  was  approaching,  the  vestry,  which  had  been 
elected  in  Lynnhaven,  in  1783,  employed  the  Reverend  Charles  Petti- 
grew  to  be  minister  of  the  parish  and  teacher  of  the  Dickson  Free 
School,  telling  him  of  the  election  of  a  new  vestry,  which  was  to  take 
place  on  the  28th  of  Mai\ch  on  this  same  month.  Mr.  Pettigrew  ac- 
cepted, but  did  not  come  in  time  to  fulfil  his  engagement,  and  was  not 
accepted  as  minister. 

The  new  vestry,  under  the  act  of  its  corporation,  was  elected  on 
April  14,  1785,  and  subscribed  to  be  conformable  to  the  doctrine,  dis- 
cipline and  worship  of  hie  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  All  of  them 
were  old  vestrymen.  As  the  property  now  became  incorporated  in 
their  own  hands,  the  following  account  of  the  parish  was  recorded  and  a 
copy  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the  next  County  Court. 

An  Account  of  Propekty  Beix)ngixg  to  Lynnhaven  Parish,  April 

14,  1785: 

About  200  acres  of  land  as  a  glebe,  with  an  old  dwelling-house  and 
a  few  outhouses,  all  in  bad  order;  about  50  acres  of  land,  with  an 
old  house  built  for  the  reception  of  the  poor  and  a  kitchen,  both  want- 
ing repair. 

Belonging  to  the  Mother  Church:  A  large  silver  tankard  and  a  silver 
salvei';  a  cup  washed  with  gold;  three  pewter  plates;  one  pulpit  cloth 
and  broadcloth  covering  for  the  Communion  Table;  three  sets  of 
Seeker's  sermons,  seven  volumes  each;  volume  of  Tillotson's  sermons; 
three  good  Bibles  and  two  old  ditto;  three  Common  Prayer  books,  large. 

Belonging  to  the  Eastern  Shore  Chapel:    A  silver  tankard;    a  silver 


281 

cup  and  a  small  silver  salver;  three  pewter  plates  and  one  pewter 
basin;  one  draper  table-cloth  and  one  napkin  for  the  Communion  Table. 
Belonging  to  Pungo  Chapel:  A  pewter  tankard,  two  glass  tumblers, 
two  pewter  plates,  one  table-cloth  and  two  napkins  for  the  Com- 
munion Table,  a  few  old  cushions  at  the  mother  church  and  the  Eastern 
Shore  chapel. 

Revenue:  Rent  of  glebe  land  in  1785,  £8;  rent  of  parish  land  in_ 
1785,    £7,  5. 

Anthony  Walke, 
John  Ackiss, 
Edwd.    Hack    Moseley, 
James   Henley, 
John  Cornick, 
Joel  Cornick, 
Francis   Land. 

On  May  6th,  1785,  the  Reverend  James  Simpson  was  inducted  min- 
ister of  the  parish  and  appointed  master  of  the  Dickson  Free  School. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Simpson  and  Mr.  Anthony  Walke  were  appointed 
delegates  to  the  First  Episcopal  Convention,  which  met  that  same 
month  in  Richmond.  Mr.  Simpson  attended,  but  Mr.  Walke's  name 
does  not  appear   among  the   delegates   in  attendance. 

This  same  year — 1785 — is  notable  because  in  October  the  General 
Assembly  passed  its  great  act  for  establishing  religious  freedom.  After 
a  noble  preamble,  that  act  which  was  drawn  up  by  Churchmen  reads 
as  follows: 

"II.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  no  man  shall  be 
compelled  to  frequent  or  support  any  religious  worship,  place  or  min- 
istry whatsoever,  nor  shall  be  enforced,  restrained,  molested  or  bur- 
thened  in  his  body  or  goods,  nor  shall  otherwise  suffer  on  account  of 
his  religious  opinions  or  belief,  but  that  all  men  shall  be  free  to 
profess,  and  by  argument  to  maintain,  their  opinion  in  matters  of 
religion,  that  the  same  shall  in  no  wise  deminish,  enlarge,  or  affect 
their  civil  capacities." 

The  large  majority  of  the  House  which  passed  this  action  were 
vestrymen  of  the  Church.  And  in  the  Episcopal  Convention  which 
met  in  Richmond  in  May,  1785,  appeared  the  names  of  many  dis- 
tinguished patriots  of  the  Revolution,  the  Convention  being  presided 
over  in  its  first  meeting  by  Carter  Braxton,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence. 


282 

Returning  to  Lynnhaven  Parish:  although  the  connection  between 
the  Church  and  the  State  was  now  almost  wholly  broken,  -the  vestry 
are  still  found  charged  by  the  County  Court  with  the  important  duty 
of  processioning  the  lands  in  the  precincts  of  the  county,  and  many 
entries  in  their  records  indicate  their  active  interest  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Churcli   in   this   year,    1785. 

Among  other  steps,  they  ordered  account  to  be  made  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  the  parish  above  the  age  of  sixteen, 
with  a  view  to  providing,  through  subscriptions,  a  due  financial  sup- 
port of  the  parish. 

In  closing  the  connection  between  the  Church  and  the  Stare,  the 
vestry  ordered  their  wardens  to  make  a  statement  of  their  accounts 
to  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  which  was  done  in  1786;  and  tlie  tran- 
sition period  is  noted  in  the  form  in  which  the  vestrymen  signed  their 
next  act  qualifying  as  vestrymen,  which  was  as  follows: 

"At  a  meeting  held  at  Kempsville  the  27  December,  1787,  we,  the 
underwritten,  having  been  fairly  elected  vestrymen  and  trustees  ac- 
cording to  an  act  of  assembly,  as  well  as  an  ordinance  of  the  Conven- 
tion of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  held  in  Richmond  on  the  16 
day  of  May,  1787,  do  agree  to  be  for  ever  conformable  to  the  doc- 
trine, discipline  and  worship  of  the  said  Episcopal  Church,  and  to 
use  all  rational  and  just  means  in  our  power  to  advance  the  true 
interest  thereof."     Then  follow  the  names  of  the  vestrymen. 

On  December  27,  1787,  the  Reverend  J.  Simpson  "agreed  to  resign 
his  office  of  Lynnhaven  Parish  on  the  sixth  day  of  May,  1788,  when  an 
election  of  minister  shall  be  held." 

Mr.  Simpson,  being  an  inducted  minister,  could  not  be  forced  to 
resign  without  due  process;  he  therefore  "agreed  to  resign.  '  and 
in  doing  so,  he  said  that  three  years  of  experience  had  proven  to  him 
that  the  emoluments  of  the  said  parish  were  not  adequate  to  the 
trouble.  It  appears,  however,  that  one  of  the  gentlemen  of  the  parish, 
Mr.  Anthony  Walke,  was  looking  forward  to  the  ministry  and  to  being 
called  to  the  parish,  which  may  well  have  influenced  the  action  of  Mr. 
Simpson.  Accordingly,  on  the  29th  of  March,  1788,  Mr.  Anthony  Walke 
was  formally  recommended  to  the  Right  Reverend  William  White, 
Bishop  of  Pennsylvania,  to  receive  orders,  and  on  .Tuly  the  3d,  1788, 
Mr.  Walke,  having  been  in  the  meantime  ordained  (the  record  does 
not  say  whether  he  was  ordained  both  deacon  and  priest,  but  only 
that  he  had  retiirned  to  the  parish  and  desired  to  be  inducted),  was 
inducted  minister  of  the  parish. 


283 

Four  years  later,  while  Mr.  Walke  was  still  minister  of  the  parish, 
the  following  interesting  declaration  was  made  by  one  John  McCleunan, 
a  Romanist,  who  desired  to  enter  the  Episcopal  Church. 

DECLARATION    OF    JOHN    M'CLENNAN,    FROM    IRELAND. 

"I  John  McClennan  having  been  educated  in  the  Principles  of  the 
Roman  Church  and  having  been  convinced  that,  since  the  Rise  of 
the  Pope's  temporal  Power,  the  members  of  the  said  Church  have  been 
cruelly  imposed  upon  by  their  Priests,  who  vainly  pretended  that  they 
could  grant  Absolution  for  Sin,  and  Dispensations  for  Sums  of  money, 
thus  usurping  an  Authority  over  the  Consciences  of  Men,  and  who 
have  supported  the  Doctrine  of  the  real  Presence  at  the  Administration 
of  the  Eucharist,  do  now  solemnly  abjure  the  Supremacy  of  the  Pope, 
and  hereby  renounce  all  the  superstitions  of  the  Church  of  Rome  and 
declare  that  I  will  be  a  member  of  the  reformed  Church,  holding  the 
Faith  of  a  Protestant  from  this  Day,  being  the  22  of  July  1792." 

"This  is  to  certify  that  the  above  Declaration  was  publickly,  made 
by  John  McClennan  at  the  Altar,  in  the  Eastern  Shore  Chapel,  of  the 
Parish  of  Lynnhaven  and  County  of  Princess  Anne,  on  Sunday  the 
22d   of   July   Anno   Domini   1792 

Anthony  Walke,  Minr." 

On  October  10th,  1800,  the  Reverend  Anthony  Walke  resigned  the 
parish,  and  on  the  1st  November  the  Reverend  Cornelius  Calvert  was 
inducted  as  minister  of  this  parish. 

Until  July,  1797,  the  vestry  held  unquestioned  right  to  the  Dickson 
donation.  In  that  year  the  question  to  their  right  was  raised,  possi- 
bly by  the  dissenting  element  in  the  county,  who  were  pressing  in 
many  directions  to  obtain  possession  of  Church  property,  or  It  may 
be  by  some  heirs,  relatives  of  Mr.  Dickson.  In  December,  1800,  the  vestry 
took  council  of  John  Wickham,  Esq.,  the  distinguished  lawyer  of  Rich- 
mond, who  advised  them  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  vestry  could,  with 
perfect  safety  to  themselves  and  with  propriety,  continue  the  direc- 
tion of  the  charity  as  hitherto,  and  no  person  had  any  right  to  dis- 
turb in  this  duty. 

That  if  they  were  obstructed  in  the  management  of  the  property 
a  court  of  chancery  might  interfere  and  appoint  other  trustees,  and 
that,  in  view  of  the  testator's  will,  he  thought  that  the  vestry  would 
be  reappointed. 

Lastly,  he  declared  that  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Dickson  could  certainly  not 


284 

support   a   claim    to   the    land    whether    uiuler    the   nianagenient    of   the 
vestry  or  not. 

At  this  time  not  only  had  the  right  of  the  church  to  the  Dickson 
donation  been  questioned,  l)nt  in  July,  1801,  it  was  found  that  certain 
dissenters  were  seeking  to  force  an  entry  into  and  take  possession  of 
one  of  the  churches. 

The  Reverend  George  Holston  was  put  in  charge  of  the  free  school 
in  1803,  and  in  August  of  the  same  year  he  was  inducted  minister  of 
the  parish. 

As  late  as  April,  1813,  the  vestry  and  trustees  of  the  parish  were 
still  in  lawful  possession  of  the  Dickson  P^ree  School  property,  but  had 
become  involved  in  a  troublesome  suit  with  some  of  I\Ir.  Dickson's 
relatives  in  Scotland. 

After  this  date  there  is  a  gap  in  the  record  of  the  vestry  covering 
eight  years  and  six  months — the  next  record  is  of  a  general  meeting 
of  the  members  of  the  parish  in  November,  1821.  The  parish  had 
suffered  much,  both  by  neglect  and  otherwise,  in  thig  interval.  At  this 
meeting  Mr.  Thurmer  Hoggard  was  chairman,  a  vestry  was  elected, 
and  the  Reverend  Mr.  Prout  was  called  to  be  minister  of  the  parish, 
at   a  salary  of  $500,  and  soon  afterwards  took  charge. 

In  March,  1822,  the  vestry  ordered  the  Donation  church  and  the 
Eastern  Shore  chapel  to  be  put  in  repair,  which  was  done  at  once,  at 
a  cost  of  $386. 

In  1824  delegates  were  elected  to  the  Episcopal  Council,  and  also 
Pungo  chapel  was  ordered  to  be  repaired.  Mr.  Prout  left  the  parish 
in  1824,  and  the  Reverend  Mark  L.  Chevers  was  employed  to  give 
some  services. 

In  1825  the  church  was  again  destitute  of  services,  and  the  Reverend 
John  H.  Wingfield  was  employed,  and  after  him  the  following  min- 
isters served  the  parish  on  and  after  the  dates  given  with  their 
names: 

The  Reverend  David  M.  Fackler,  1838;  Rev.  B.  F.  Miller,  occasional 
services,  1841;  Rev.  John  G.  Hull,  1842;  Rev.  Henry  C.  Lay,  1846; 
Rev.  Edmund  Withers,  1847;  Rev.  Lewis  Walke,  1848;  Rev.  Robert 
Gatewood,  1865;  Rev.  A.  A.  McDonough,  1873;  Rev.  E.  A.  Penick. 
1877;  Rev.  C.  B.  Bryan.  1878;  Rev.  C.  J.  McCollough,  1881;  Rev. 
Richard  Anderson,  1883;  Rev.  W.  R.  Savage,  1884;  A.  W.  Anson.  1891. 
In  1895  the  eastern  half  of  the  parish,  containing  the  Eastern  Shore 
chapel,  was  set  off  as  a  separate  parish.  The  following  ministers 
continued  to  serve  one  or  both  of  the  parishes:    Rev.  W.  R.   Savage, 


285 

1895;  Rev.  W.  F.  Morrison,  1896;  Rev.  Henry  L.  Lancaster,  1898;  Rev. 
J.  E.  Wales,  1898;    Rev.   Frank  Stringfellow,   1906. 

After  the  final  declension  of  the  old  Donation  church,  which  suffered 
much  from  the  isolation  of  its  position,  that  congregation  built  a 
church   called   Emmanuel   church,   about   1850,   in   Kempsville. 

Of  recent  years  many  members  of  the  Episcopal  Church  have  removed 
from  the  county  to  live  in  Norfolk.  On  the  other  hand,  quite  a  settle- 
ment of  Church  people  have  gathered  at  Virginia  Beach,  where  a  con- 
venient chapel  has  been  erected.  Through  the  efforts  of  the  Reverend 
Mr.  Savage,  a  chapel  was  built  for  the  benefit  of  the  life-saving  crew 
on  the  shore  at  and  below  Virginia  Beach,  and  thus,  while  weakened 
at  some  points,  the  Chuix-h  has  been  strengthened  in  others,  and 
still  has  an  abiding  hold  upon  the  hearts  of  the  people  of  Princess 
Anne  county.  Certainly  no  one  building  in  the  county  is  so  gen- 
erally revered  as  is  the  old  Eastern  Shore  chapel,  and  it  is  pleasant 
to  hear  from  its  present  minister,  the  Reverend  Mr.  Wales,  that  the 
church  is  in  an  encouraging  and  growing  condition.  The  western  end 
of  the  county  has  suffered  more  on  account  of  its  nearness  to  Norfolk, 
but  it  is  blessed  in  a  faithful  company  of  workers  and  in  the  devoted 
service  of  one  who,  while  not  a  clergyman,  has  for  years  done  a 
minister's  work  in  all  things  that  were  within  his  power,  Mr.  R.  J. 
Alfrlend,  of  Norfolk. 

These  parishes  still  retain  their  beautiful  communion  vessels.  Those 
which  formerly  belonged  to  the  old  Donation  and  the  churches  which 
preceded  it  now  belong  to  Emmanuel  church,  Kempsville.  The  cup 
is  marked  with  the  date  letter  for  1705,  the  paten,  which  was  the 
gift  of  Maximilian  Boush,  and  bears  his  arms,  has  the  date  letter 
for  1711,  and  the  fiagon,  the  date  letter  for  1716.  These  pieces, 
with  the  old  Vestry  Book,  dating  from  1723,  have  long  been  in  the 
keeping  of  the  Hoggard  family  at  Poplar  Hall,  on  Broad  Creek.  The 
Communion  vessels  of  the  Eastern  Shore  chapel,  consisting  of  a  hand- 
some cup,  paten  and  flagon,  all  bear  the  date  letter  of  1759. 


HUNGARS  CHURCH,  NORTHAMPTON  COUNTY, 

VIRGINIA. 

BY    il.    C.    HOWARD. 

THE  history  of  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia  begins  with  Cap- 
tain John  Smith's  visit  of  exploration,  recorded  by  himself. 
He  says: 

"Leaving  the  Phoenix  at  Cape  Henry,  wee  crossed  the  bay 
to  the  Eastern  Shore,  and  fell  in  with  the  isles  called  Smith's  Isles. 
First  people  encountered  were  two  grim,  stout  savages,  upon  Cape 
Charles,  with  long  poles,  javelings  headed  with  bone,  who  boldly  de- 
manded who  and  what  we  were.  After  many  circumstances,  they 
seemed  kind,  and  directed  us  to  Accomack,  the  habitation  of  their 
Werowance,  where  we  were  kindly  treated.  This  Rex  was  the  come- 
liest,  proper,  civill  salvage  we  encountered.  His  country  is  pleasant, 
fertile  clay  soyle;  some  small  creeks,  good  harbours  for  barques,  not 
ships.     They   spoke  the  language  of  Powhatan." 

The  largest  of  this  group  is  still  known  as  "Smith's  Island."  It 
formed  a  very  insignificant  part  of  the  patrimony  of  Mrs.  Robert  E. 
Lee,  Inherited  through  many  general  ions  from  her  ancestor,  John 
Custis,  of  Arlington,  Northampton  county,  Va.  From  this  first  Ameri- 
can home  of  the  Custis  family,  the  famous  Arlington,  Mrs.  Lee's 
home  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Confederate  War,  received  its  name. 

The  home  of  the  "Rex,"  whom  John  Smith  visited  (in  1608),  was 
on  what  Is  called  "Old  Plantation"  Creek,  which  name  commemorates 
the  fact  that  the  oldest  "settlement"  on  the  Eastern  Shore  was  made 
on  this  beautiful  tidal  inlet,  probably  on  the  farm  at  the  head  of  the 
creek,  also  called  "Old  Plantation."  No  trace  of  this  first  settlement 
can  now  be  found,  and  I  have  met  with  no  reference  to  it  prior  to 
the  account  given  by  John  Rolfe,  who,  having  returned  to  England, 
taking  with  him  his  wife,  Pocahontas,  was  desired  by  the  Virginia 
Company  in  London  to  furnish  them  with  information  concerning 
the  Virginia  Colony.  He  tells  them  of  six  "plantacons,"  one  of  them 
at  "Dale's  Gift,"   on   the  Eastern    Shore,   where   Lieutenant    Craddock, 


287 

with  about  sixteen  men,  had  been  established  for  the  purpose  of  mak- 
ing salt,  of  which  all  the  settlements  were  in  need.* 

A  few  years  later,  in  1620,  a  second  settlement  was  made  on  the 
farm  now  called  "Town  Fields,"  which  lies  between  Cherrystonef  and 
King's  Creeks,  divided  by  the  latter  from  the  very  new  town  of  "Cape 
Charles  City."  about  fourteen  miles  trom  the  real  Cape  Charles. 
The  English  called  this  second  "towne"  Accomack — probably  in 
compliment  to  the  "Laughing  King  of  Accomack"  (John  Smith's 
"Rex")— which  name  was  applied  not  only  to  the  town  and  to 
the  royal  residence,  but  by  the  Indians  to  the  whole  peninsula.  The 
new  town  seems  to  have  absorbed  the  earlier  one  at  Old  Plantation, 
which  is  heard  of  no  more.  Perhaps  the  Colonists  found  it  more 
convenient  and  comfortable  to  have  th?  "King's  Creek"  between  them 
and  their  Indian  neighbors. 

As  usual  in  the  early  Virginia  settlements,  the  building  of  a  church 
was  one  of  the  first  duties  to  be  performed.  In  the  same  year  (1629) 
one  was  built  "neare  the  ffishinge  poynte."  Its  exact  location  cannot 
be  Identified,  for  all  "poyntes"  in  that  highly  favored  land  may  be 
made  "ffishing  poyntes."  It  was  perhaps  at  the  point  made  by  the 
junction  of  the  two  creeks.  That  it  was  called  "the  Ffishinge  Poynte" 
seems  to  indicate  that,  at  that  time,  the  few  inhabitants,  for  mutual 
protection,  did  all  their  fishing  in  one  place.  The  church  was  "of 
insignificant  dimensions,"  constructed  of  rough  logs,  connected  loosely 
with  wattle,  the  whole  enclosed  with  'Pallysadoes'  for  protection  against 
'ye  Indian  tribes,  an  ever  present  menace  to  peace  and  safety.  '"  I 
believe,  however,  there  is  no  record  or  tradition  to  indicate  that  the 
tribes  on  the  Eastern  Shore  ever  invaded  the  "peace  and  safety"  of 
the  English,  possibly  because  of  their  prudent  measures  of  self- 
protection;  but  the  massacres  on  the  Western  side  of  the  Chesapeake, 
and  more  especially  the  "Great  Massacre"  of  1622,  made  men  cautious, 
and  this  seems  to  have  turned  the  tide  of  immigration  to  the  other 
shore, t  where  climate  and  soil  were  good,  food  supplies  unusually 
abundant,  and  where  the  Indians  were  kind  and  friendly. 


♦This  Report,  dated  1615  or  1616,  is  in  one  of  the  early  volumes  of 
the  Va.  Hist.  Mag.,  or  the  Va.  Hist.  Regi.ster;  an  ante-bellum  number. 
I  read  it  some  years  ago,  and  have  neither  "Magazine"  nor  "Register" 
to   refer   to. 

tOriginally  Clieriton;    the  unmeaning  Cherrystone  being  a  corruption. 

tBishop  Meade,  Vol.  I,  p.  85,  says:  "Such  was  the  effect,  both  in  Vir- 
ginia and  England,  that  a  commission  was  sent  over  to  the  Gov.,  Sir 
George  Yardley,  to  seek  for  a  settlement  on  the  Eastern  Shore  of 
Virginia  f<>r  those  who  remained.  That  plan,  however,  was  never  jiut 
Into  execution,  though  steps  were  taken  towards  it." 


288 

The  first  rector  of  this  first  church — which,  though  unnamed,  should 
never  be  forgotten — was  the  Rev.  Francis  Bolton.  A  manuscript  record 
in  the  Congressional  Library  gives  this  statement  concerning  his 
salary:  "It  is  ordered  by  the  Governor  and  Council  that  Mr.  Bolton 
shall  receive  for  his  salary  this  year,  throughout  all  the  plantations 
on  the  Eastern  Shore,  ten  pounds  of  tobacco  and  one  bushel  of  corn 
for  every  planter  and  trader  above  the  age  of  sixteen,  alive  at  the 
crop."  A  clergyman  coming  to  Virginia  could  not  have  been  in- 
fluenced by  any  prospect  of  emolument;  but,  paltry  as  these  items 
seem,  a  bushel  of  corn  and  ten  pounds  of  tobacco  was  probably  a 
larger  contribution  in  proportion  to  income  than  we  can  always  show 
in  these  days.  In  1630  Thomas  Warnet  (?),  "principal  merchant  and 
devout  Churchman,"  bequeaths  to  Mr.  Bolton  the  following  useful 
articles:  "A  firkin  of  butter,  a  bushel  of  salt,  six  pounds  of  candles, 
a  pound  of  pepper,  a  pound  of  ginger,  two  bushels  of  meal,  a  rundlet 
of  ink,  six  quires  of  letter  paper,  and  a  pair  of  silk  stockings." 

The  second  rector  was  the  Rev.  "William  Cotton-,  who  officiated  from 
1632  to  about  1645.  The  second  church,  about  ten  miles  from  the 
first  and  lower  down  the  peninsula,  was  built  near  the  place  after- 
w^ards  called  Arlington,  the  home  of  John  Custis,  immigrant,  of  whom 
many  anecdotes  still  linger  in  local  traditions,  and  whose  tomb,  with 
the  singular  epitaph  composed  by  himself,  is  still  at  Arlington.  This 
church  was  known  as  the  "Magothy  Bay  Church."  Presumably,  it 
was  another  log  building,  in  no  way  superior  to  that  at  the  "Ffishinge 
Poynte";  and  as  there  seems  to  be  no  record  of  any  rector,  it  may 
be  assumed  that  Mr.  Cotton  had  charge  of  both.  Proof  of  its  existence 
in  1645  is  found  in  an  early  county  record,  which  ordered  that  all 
citizens  should  carry  "arms  and  fixed  ammunition."  Such  as  were 
caught  without  these  were  to  be  "punished"  by  being  required  "to 
clear  paths  to  the  neiv  church,"  "enclosed  by  a  stockade." 

It  must  have  been  at  the  "Ffishinge  Poynte"  church  that  Marie 
Drewe  stood  up  and  asked  "forgiveness  of  the  congregation"  for  some 
"ugly  words"  she  had  used  towards  Joane  Butler.  It  is  evident  that 
Church  and  State  in  Virginia  were  as  essentially  one  as  in  the  Mother 
Country.  The  "Act"  for  suppression  of  gossip  was  passed  September, 
1634;  its  enforcement  was  left  to  the  Church,  as  this  extract  shows. 
The  two  women  had  quarreled,  and  reviled  each  other  in  no  choice 
language.     Joane    was    arrested,    tried,    convicted    and    sentenced. 

"Upon  dew  examination,  it  is  thought  fitt  by  the  board  that  s"yd 
Joane  Butler  shall  be  drawen  over  the  King's  Creek  at  the  starne  of 


289 

a  boat  or  canoux;  also,  the  next  Sabbath  day  in  the  tyme  of  devyne 
(divine)  servis,  between  the  first  and  second  lesson,  present  herself 
before  the  minister,  and  say  after  him  as  followeth:  'I,  Joane  Butler, 
doe  acknowledge  to  have  called  Marie  Drewe  h ,  and  hereby  I  con- 
fess I  have  done  her  manifest  wronge;  wherefore  I  desire  before  tins 
congregation  that  the  s'yd  Marie  Drewe  will  forgiv  me;  and  also 
that  this  congregation  will  joyne  (join)  me  in  prayer,  that  God  may 
forgive  me.'  " 

Marie  Drewe  was  then  arrested,  and  received  the  same  sentence. 
She  retracted,  asked  "forgiveness"  in  the  church  and  escaped  the 
ducking. 

The  name  of  the  peninsula  was  changed  from  "Accowmake"  to 
Northampton  in  1642.  Various  traditions  give  various  reasons  for 
the  selection  of  this  name.  The  best  authenticated  seems  to  be  that 
it  was  a  compliment  to  the  Earl  of  Northampton.  At  this  date  there 
were  few  settlers  in  the  upper  part,  and  Hungars  Parish  is  not  yet 
mentioned.  In  1662  the  peninsula  was  divided,  the  upper  county 
resuming  the  original  name,  Accomac,  the  lower  retaining  that  of 
Northampton. 

The  first  formally  organized  vestry  was  in  obedience  to  an  order  of 
the  Court  at  James  City." 

"At  a  court  holden  in  Accawmacke  the  14th  day  of  Sept.,  1635"; 
[the  peninsula  being  then  called  Accomack]. 

"At  this  court  Mr.  Wm.  Cotton,  minister,  presented  an  order  of 
the  court  from  James  Citty,  for  the  building  of  a  Parsonage  ordered  by 
the  vestry  and  because  there  have  heretofore  been  no  formal  vestry 
nor  vestrymen  appointed,  we  have  from  this  present  day  appointed 
to  be  vestrymen  those  whose  names  are  underwritten: 

"Wm.  Cotton  minister,  Capt.  Thomas  Graves,  Mr.  Obedience  Robins, 
Mr.  John  Howe,  Mr.  Wm.  Stone,  Mr.  Burdett,  Mr.  Wm.  Andrews,  Mr. 
John  Wilkins,  Mr.  Alex  Mountjoy,  Mr.  Edw.  Drew,  Mr.  Wm.  Beniman, 
Mr.   Stephen  Charlton. 

"And  further  we  do  order  that  the  first  meeting  of  the  syd.  vestry- 
men shall  be  upon  the  feast  day  of  St.  Michael  the  Arch-Angel,  being 
the  29th  day  of  September." 

In  accordance  with  that  order  of  the  court,  the  vestry  meeting  was 
held  and  record  entered  of  the  same  as  follows: 

"A  vestry  heald,   29th   day  of  Sept.   1635. 

"Capt.  Thomas  Graves,  Mr.  John  Howe,  Mr.  Edward  Drew,  Mr.  Obe- 


290 

dience  Robins,  Mr.  Alex.  Mountjoy,  Mr.  Wm.  Burdett,  Mr.  Wm.  An- 
drews,  Mr.   Wm.   Stone,   Mr.    Wm.    Benmian." 

At  this  meeting  an  order  was  made  jiroviding  foi-  building  the 
parsonage  house. 

As  the  parsonage  here  mentioned  was  for  the  use  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Cotton,  it  must  have  been  built  in  the  Magothy  Bay  section  of  the 
county,  near  his  two  churches.  It  was  ordered  to  be  built  of  "wood" — 
presumably  sawed  lumber,  not  logs — forty  feet  wide,  eighteen  feet 
deep,  and  nine  feet  "to  the  valley,"  with  a  chimney  at  each  end,  and 
beyond  the  chimneys  a  small  room  on  each  side — "one  for  the  minister's 
study  and  the  other  for  a  buttery." 

"Mr.  Cotton  seems  to  have  had  considerable  difficulty  in  collecting 
his  tithes,  despite  the  fact  that  good  buildings  began  to  be  erected," 
and  every  home  had  its  garden  and  orchard.  Suit  was  brought  in 
1637  against  Henry  Charleton  for  non  payment  of  dues. 

"John  Waltham,  Randal  Revel  and  John  Ford  deposed  on  oath  that 
they  heard  Henry  Charlton  say  that  if  he  had  Had  Mr.  Cotton  without 
the  churchyeard,  he  would  have  l^ict  him  over  the  Pallysadoes,  calling 
of  him  Black  catted  (coated)  raskall.  Upon  the  complaynt  of  Mr. 
Cotton  against  the  said  Charlton  and  tlie  depositions  as  above  ex- 
pressed, it  is  ordered  that  the  said  Charleton  shall  for  the  s'yd  offence 
buyld  a  pare  of  stocks,  and  set  in  them  three  severall  Sabouth  days 
in  the  time  of  Dyvine  Servis,  and  there  ask  Mr.  Cotton  forgiveness." 
The  punishment  was  doubtless  salutary  and  conducive  to  proper  re- 
spect for  clerical  dignity. 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  legal  title  to  the  ground  upon  which 
the  Magothy  Bay  church  was  built  prior  to  1691,  for  in  that  year 
William  Willett  conveys,  in  consideration  of  20,000  pounds  of  tobacco, 
600  acres  of  land  to  William  Baker,*  reserving  "one  acre  of  land,  on 
which  church  now  stands,"  "to  remaine  for  that  use  as  long  as  the 
parish  'mindes'  to  continue  the  same."  This  land  had  been  granted 
by  Francis  Morrison,  Governor  of  Virginia,  to  Edward  Douglas,  and 
was  confirmed  by  another  patent  from  Governor  Andros  "to  me, 
William  Willett,"  nephew  and  heir  to  said  Edward  Douglas.  This 
deed  of  conveyance  is  a  curiosity  of  superfluous  verbiage,  and  much 
too  long  for  quotation.  It  gives  the  boundaries  with  great  minute- 
ness, mentions  "a  spring  neare  the  Church  or  Chappell."  and  is  dated 
"30  May  Anno  Regis  X,  Anno  Domini,  1698." 

•Book   of  Deed.s   and    Wills,    No.    12,   page    19S,   Nurthainpton    Records. 


291 

It  is  probable  that  successive  churches  had  taken  the  place  of  the 
original  structure  (as  at  Jamestown  and  elsewhere)  long  before  this 
conveyance  of  title.  The  latest  built  upon  this  site  was  still  in  use 
in  the  early  years  of  the  nineteenth  century,  but  in  1826  it  was  pro- 
nounced unsafe,  torn  down  and  the  old  materials  sold  at  auction. t 

Christ  church  in  Eastville  was  built  about  this  time,  and  the  old 
silver  service  for  Holy  Communion  has  been  used  in  this  church  ever 
since.  The  pieces  have  an  inscription  showing  that  they  were  the 
gift  of  "John  Custis,  Esq'r,  of  Williamsburg,"  to  the  lower  church 
of  Hungars  Parish,  1741.  The  plate  is  marked  "Ex  dono,  Francis 
Nicholson,  Esq'r."     Date  of  this  gift  must  have  been  1690  to  1693. 

Mr.  Cotton  died  in  1645.  He  is  called  in  the  Records,  "the  godly 
son  of  Joane  Cotton,  widow,  of  Bunbury,  Cheshire,  England."  Wil- 
liam Stone,  first  Protestant  Governor  of  Maryland,  was  his  brother-in- 
law.     Stone  resided  on  Hungars  Creek. 

Rev.  John  Rozier  (Bishop  Meade  says  Rogers)  succeeded  Mr.  Cotton. 
An  old  colonist,  in  his  will,  speaks  of  this  gentleman  as  "Deare  and 
respected  friend,"  and  Dr.  John  Holloway  bequeaths  to  him  a  folio 
Greek  Testament. 

In  1639  Nathaniel  Eaton,  first  principal  of  Harvard,  came  in  Nele's 
barque  to  Virginia,  where  he  married  "Anne  Graves,  daughter  of 
Thomas  Graves,  a  member  of  the  Dorchester  church,  who  emigrated 
to  Virginia,  and  died  of  climatic  influence,  leaving  his  daughter  a 
fair  patrimony."  Eaton  became  Rozier's  assistant,  but  fled  to  England 
in  1646.  By  the  Assembly's  Act  of  1639-40,  ministers  of  the  gospel 
were  allowed  ten  pounds  of  tobacco  per  poll  to  pay  their  clerk  and 
sexton. 

In  1642  the  parish  was  divided.  All  south  of  King's  Creek  was  one 
parish,  called  Hungars;  from  King's  Creek  to  Nassawadox  was  to  be 
known  as  Nassawadox  Parish.  In  this  latter  was  built  a  temporary 
church.  On  December  23,  1684,  Major  William  Spencer  gave  to  the 
church  wardens  of  Hungars  Parish  the  land  on  Hungars  Creek,  on 
which  "the  frame  of  a  church"  now  stands,  and  one  acre  of  land 
surrounding  it,  being  a  part  of  Smith's  Field.  So  we  learn  that  this 
first  Hungars  church,  like  that  at  Magothy  Bay,  was  built  upon  land 
for  which  no  title  was  obtained,  until  years  had  gone  by.  This 
church  was,  perhaps,  not  abandoned  until  the  "Brick  Church."  the 
present  Old  Hungars,  was  built. 

Hungars  Creek  is  one  of  those  beautiful  tidal  inlets  which  give  to 


tThe  foundations  may  still  be  seen  near  the  Arlington  gates. 


292 

the  Chesapeake  counties  of  Virginia  and  Maryland  such  exquisite 
views  of  land  and  water,  and  upon  which,  even  in  those  early  times, 
charming  homes  began  to  cluster;  for  the  earliest  colonists  settled 
along  these  creeks,  and  their  descendants  and  successors  have  not 
been  able  to  improve  upon  the  sites  they  selected. 

Hungars  Creek  lies  between  Church  Neck,  its  northern  boundary,  and 
Hungars  Neck,  on  the  south.  The  church  is  in  a  grove  of  pines,  at 
the  head  of  this  creek.  Approaching  from  the  south,  the  county 
road  passes  over  a  little  bridge,  which  crosses  one  fork,  and  from 
which  the  little  village  of  Bridgetown  ("at  which  courts  were  held  in 
early  years")   takes  its  name. 

In   1691    the   parishes  were   again    made    one,    and    from    that    time 
until  the  present,  county  and  parish  are  the  same  in  extent. 
Old  records  in  the  Clerk's  Office: 

"Att  a  council  held  att  James  City,  Apr.  the  21st,  1691. 

"Present — The  Rt.  Hono'ble  Francis  Nicholson  Esq.  Lt.  Gov.  &  coun- 
cil. 

"Major  John  Robins  and  Mr.  Thomas  Harmanson,  Burgesses  of  the 
County  of  Northampton,  on  behalf  of  the  County  of  Northampton,  by 
their  petition  setting  forth  that  the  said  county  is  one  of  the  smallest 
in  the  colony,  doth  consist  of  a  small  number  of  tithables,  and  is 
divided  in  two  parishes,  by  reason  whereof  the  Inhabitants  of  both 
parishes  are  soe  burdened  that  they  are  not  able  decently  to  maintain 
a  minister  in  each  parish  and  therefore  prayed  the  said  parishes  might 
be  joyned  in  one  and  goe  by  the  name  of  Hungars  parish,  not  being 
desirous  to  infringe  any  gift  given  to  Hungars  parish,  and  more 
especially  one  by  the  last  will  of  Stephen  Charlton,  which  parishes 
soe  joined  will  not  only  be  satisfactory  to  the  inhabitants  but  make 
them  capable  to  build  a  decent  church  and  maintain  an  able  divine; 
On  consideration  whereof  Itt  is  the  opinion  of  this  board  and  accord- 
ingly ordered  that  the  whole  County  of  Northampton  be  from  hence- 
forth one  parish  and  goe  by  the  name  of  Hungars  parish,  and  that 
the  same  shall  be  noe  prejudice  to  the  gift  of  the  aforesaid  Charlton 
to  the  said  parish  of  Hungars  and  it  is  further  ordered  that  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  sd.  parish  shall  meet  at  such  time  and  place  as  the 
court  of  the  said  county  shall  appoint  and  make  choice  of  a  vestry 
according  to   law.     Cop.   vera,   test,   W.   Edwards,   cl.   cou." 

Then,  in  accordance  with  the  appointment  of  the  court,  at  a  meet- 
ing  of   the   inhabitants    of   the    said    county    of    Northampton,    at    the 


293 

■courthouse  thereof,  the  22nd  day  of  June,  1691,  the  following  vestry- 
men were  elected: 

Major  John  Robins,  Capt.  Custis,  Capt.  Poxcroft,  John  Shepheard, 
Benj.  Stratton,  Preeson  Davis,  Benjamin  Nottingham,  John  Powell, 
Jacob  Johnson,  Thomas  Eyre,  John  Stoakley,  Michael  Dickson.  It 
was  evidently  soon  after  this  step  was  taken  that  the  Hungars  church 
building  was  erected. 

I  have  been  unable  to  find  the  origin  or  meaning  of  the  name  Hun- 
gai  s,  ncr  when  it  was  first  applied  to  the  parish.  "Hungars  Creek" 
occurs  in  the  records  in  1649,  possibly  earlier.  "Whether  the  parish 
gave  name  to  the  creek  or  the  reverse  has  not  been  ascertained,  nor 
any  convincing  explanation  of  the  name  itself  offered.  It  has  been 
said  that  a  parish  in  Northamptonshire,  England,  bears  the  same,  but 
the  lists  of  English  parishes  in  the  Peabody  Library,  Baltimore,  does 
not  contain  a  Hungars  in  any  shire.  So  many  of  the  Indian  names 
were  retained  that  in  default  of  tracing  to  any  English  source,  I  am 
inclined  to  believe  this  a  survival  of  Indian  nomenclature,  especially 
in  view  of  the  fact  that  most  of  the  Eastern  Shore  creeks  still  keep 
their  original  names,  somewhat  modified. 

Thomas  Palmer,  clericus,  succeeded  Rozier;  John  Armourier  was 
the  next  minister  of  the  parish,  and  was  followed  as  early  as  1651 
by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Higby,  who  married  the  widow  of  John  Wilkins, 
vestryman.  In  1656  Francis  Doughty,  brother-in-law  of  Governor 
Stone  and  non-conformist,  is  noted  as  "Minister  and  Preacher  of  Ye 
Word  in  this  parish,  now  in  Northamptor/.  county,"  and  was  exhorted  by 
one  Ann  Littleton  in  her  will  to  rear  "My  children  in  ye  most  Chris- 
tian faith."  Rev.  Thomas  Teackle  was  officiating  in  the  Upper  parish 
(St.  George's,  Accomac,)  during  Mr.  Higby's  service  in  the  Lower;  all 
of  his  predecessors  served  but  a  short  time,  and  the  records  show  many 
suits  for  their  salaries.  "Mr.  Teackle  had  his  difficulties  also,  and  to  the 
end  of  his  life  sought  his  dues  in  a  legal  way."*  He  had,  besides,  diffi- 
culties not  financial.  His  moral  character  was  fiercely  attacked  (in 
one  instance  by  Col.  Scarburgh),  but  he  retained  the  confidence  and 
affection  of  the  people.  It  is  on  record  in  the  county  that,  "on  April 
28th,  1663,  one  John  Stockley  was  ordered  to  give  bond  for  good  be- 
havior and  to  recant  in  presence  of  the  congregations  of  Hungars  and 


*Rev'd  Mr.  Teackle  acquired  considerable  land.  A  farm  called 
Craddock,  situated  in  Craddock's  Neck  (not  far  from  Old  St.  George's 
church,  Accomac),  remained  in  possession  of  descendants  of  his  own 
name  until  a  few  years  ago.  Many  descendants  on  the  Eastern  Shore 
and  in  Baltimore. 


294 

Nassawadox  parishes  the  next  time  that  the  Rev.  Thomas  Teackle 
preached  in  the  church,  because  said  Stockley  had  said  that  the  vestry 
was  'illegal  and  unfair'  because  not  chosen  by  a  majority  of  the 
people."  Mr.  Teackle  officiated  at  old  St.  George's  much  longer  than 
in  Hungars  parish;  he  probably  ministered  to  both  at  the  same 
time,  for  the  supply  of  clergymen  was  seldom  equal  to  the  demand, 
and,  faute  de  mieux,  non-conformist  divines  were  sometimes  permitted 
to  officiate,  "so  far  as  the  laws  of  England  and  of  this  colony  permit;" 
but  that  these  loyal  Churchmen  accepted  their  services  with  reluctance, 
and  dispensed  with  them  as  soon  as  practicable,  is  shown  by  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"Whereas,  Mr.  Daniel  Richardson,  o'r  late  minister,  for  want  of 
orders,  was  found  not  Orthodox,  and  therefore  hired  him  from  yeare 
to  yeare  (to  supply  the  place  of  minister  so  farr  as  the  Lawes  of 
England  and  this  country  could  make  him  capable)  until  we  could 
supply  ourselves  with  an  able  Orthodox  devine.  And  forasmuch  as 
Mr.  Isaac  Key  did  present,  whom  we  find  very  able  and  worthy,  wee 
of  the  Vestry  and  subscribers  hereof,  doe  certifye  unto  Your  Honor 
that  at  a  vestry,  the  8th  day  of  May  last  past,  did  discharge  the 
said  Richardson  from  his  said  ministry,  and  have  since  made  choice 
of  the  said  Mr.  Isaac  Key  for  o'r  minister,  who  hath  accepted  and 
most  willingly  promised  to  serve;  Wherefore  we  hereby  request  your 
Honor's  confirmacon  by  Inducting  him  into  this  o'r  parish  as  min- 
ister. And  your  Supplycants  shall  ever  pray.  John  Stringer,  William 
Kendall,  William  Walters,  John  Robins,  James  Pigot." 

To  this  appeal  Governor  Berkeley  assented  in  these  words: 

"This  worthy,  learned  Gent.,  Mr.  Key,  is  soe  well  knowne  to  me, 
that  I  am  most  certaine  you  will  be  happy  in  haveing  soe  deserving 
a  pereon  to  officiate  to  you  and  advise  and  comfort  you  in  all  yo'r 
spirituall  wants  and  necessityes,  &  I  doe  require  that  he  bee  immedi- 
ately Inducted.  William   BKRKKLf:Y. 

Nov.  18,  1676. 

It  will  be  observed  that  these  Churchmen  used  the  word  "Orthodox" 
as  applied  to  a  "minister,"  to  signify  that  he  had  been  regularly 
ordained  by  an  English  Bishop.  Bishop  Meade  says,  "Such  was  the 
use  of  the  word  orthodox  at  that  time." 

Prior  to  the  induction  of  Mr.  Key  (in  1671).  the  "Commissioners 
of  Plantations"  had  sent  over  this  query  to  Governor  Berkeley: 

"What  coorse  is  being  taken  about  instructing  the  people  within  your 


295 

government  in  the  Christian  religion,  and  what  provision  Is  there 
made  for  the  paying  of  your  ministry?"  Which  elicited  the  following 
reply  from  Berkeley: 

"The  same  coorse  that  is  taken  in  England,  out  of  towns,  every 
man  according  to  his  ability  instructing  his  children.  We  have  fforty- 
eight  parishes  in  Virginia,  and  our  ministers  are  well  paid,  and  by 
my  consent  should  be  better,  if  they  would  pray  oftener  and  preach 
less." 

In  or  about  the  year  1653  Col.  Stephen  Charlton,  a  wealthy  and  very 
prominent  citizen,  bequeathed  his  Home-place  (situated  in  Church  Neck, 
at  no  great  distance  from  Hungars  church)  to  his  daughter,  Bridgett, 
for  her  life,  and  to  her  heirs;  but  if  she  had  no  child,  then  the  land  was 
to  go  to  the  church  wardens,  Argall  Yardley  and  John  Michael,  and  to 
the  vestry  of  Hungars  Parish  for  the  support  of  a  rector.  It  was  stipu- 
lated that  the  church  was  to  be  open  for  divine  service  a  certain  num- 
ber of  times  in  every  year.  Bridgett  Charlton  married,  but  had  no 
child;  and  at  her  death  the  parish  inherited  it.  It  became  the  home  of 
many  successive  rectors.  The  last  resident  was  the  Rev.  John  Ufford, 
who  became  rector  in  1843,  and  resigned  in  1850.  In  his  time  the  church 
was  dispossessed  of  the  property — "robbed"  of  it,  the  Church  people  con- 
sidered.    Bishop  Meade  says  with  regard  to  this  act  of  spoliation: 

"The  peace  and  happiness  of  the  Episcopal  congregation  in  North- 
ampton has  been  much  marred  for  many  years  by  a  painful  and  pro- 
tracted controversy  with  the  overseers  of  the  poor  concerning  the  glebe. 
More  than  two  hundred  years  ago  the  wealthy  and  pious  Charlton,  in 
view  of  his  approaching  dissolution,  and  in  the  event  of  one  of  his  two 
daughters  dying  childless,  left  a  portion  of  that  earth  which  is  all  the 
Lord's  for  the  perpetual  support  of  the  Church  of  his  fathers,  and  of 
that  religion  which  had  been  his  happiness  in  life,  and  was  now  to  be 
his  consolation  in  death.  He  did  this  in  the  exercise  of  a  right  recog- 
nized by  God  Himself  in  the  law  of  His  Word,  and  secured  to  men  by 
the  laws  of  every  government  upon  earth — the  right  of  disposing  of  our 
propeity  by  will.  *  *  *  The  Legislature  of  "Virginia,  both  under  the 
Colonial  Government  and  since  our  independence,  has,  by  several  acts, 
ratified  the  Church's  claim.  But,  after  a  long  period  of  acquiescence  in 
the  Church's  right,  the  overseers  of  the  poor,  under  that  act  of  the  Leg- 
islature, which  had  never  before  been  suspected  of  embracing  this 
case,  determined  to  claim  it,  and  actually  did  sell  it  at  public  auction, 
conditionally.  The  question  was  brought  before  the  Legislature,  and  a 
sanction  for  the  sale  sought  for;  but  it  was  dismissed  as  unreasonable. 


296 

The  question  was  taken  before  a  court  of  law,  and  twice  decided  in  be- 
half of  the  Church.  An  appeal  has  been  taken  to  a  higher  court.  Years 
have  already  been  passed  in  painful  controversy.  Great  have  been  the 
-expenses  to  the  Church,  and  much  the  loss  in  various  ways.  *  *  * 
'The  peace  of  the  county  has  been  much  impaired  by  it.  Political  ques- 
tions and  elections  to  civil  offices  have  been  mixed  up  with  it,  and  Chris- 
tians of  different  denominations  estranged  from  each  ather.  Surely, 
when  our  Legislature  reserved  all  private  donations  from  the  operation 
of  the  law  which  ordered  the  sale  of  glebes,  if  this  case  could  have  been 
presented  to  them,  and  they  had  been  asked  whether  it  could  come  un- 
der the  sentence  of  it,  the  bitterest  enemies  of  the  Episcopal  Church, 
and  the  most  unbelieving  foes  of  our  religion,  would  have  shrunk  with 
horror  from  the  suggestion." 

To  complete  the  story  of  this  transaction,  I  will  only  say  that  the 
glebe  was  eventually  lost  to  us.  The  very  fact  that  the  "lower  glebes," 
and  the  servants  and  other  appurtenances  of  hotJi  glebes  were  sold  soon 
after  the  passage  of  that  Act,  while  the  right  of  the  Church  to  the 
Charlton  Glebe  was  not  even  questioned,  shows  conclusively  to  ^air- 
minded  people  how  the  law  was  understood  at  the  time.  The  farm  is 
still  known  as  the  Glebe,  and  is  a  lasting  witness  against  an  injustice. 

No  sketch  of  Hungars  Parish,  however  slight,  could  be  complete  with- 
out this  story  of  our  Glebe  and  its  loss;  but  it  is  more  pleasant  to  go 
back  to  the  church  itself.  Concerning  it,  however,  I  have  very  scant  in- 
formation. About  1750  "Richard  Allen  conveyed  to  John  Haggoman  and 
his  family  all  his  interest  in  and  to  a  pew  which  he  (the  said  Allen)  had 
built  In  Hungars  church."  In  1759  Thomas  Preeson,  in  his  will,  speaks 
of  "the  new  church  on  Hungars  Creek,"  for  which  he  had  deeded  to  the 
church  wardens  an  acre  of  ground,  and,  in  return,  they  had  deeded  to 
him  "a  Pew  marked  T.  P.,"  in  1751;  and  in  the  deed  (signed  in  1752)  it 
is  stated  that  the  church  was  "a  brick  church."  The  land  he  conveyed 
was  not  that  on  which  the  church  stands,  but  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
county  road,  and  was,  I  believe,  intended  for  a  burial  place.  In  1695 
the  Rev.  Samuel  Palmer  was  rector.  In  1712  the  Rev.  Patrick  Falconer 
is  minister.  He  died  in  1718,  "and  after  having  given  much  to  the 
poor,  he  left  his  property  to  his  brother  James,  in  London,  and  desired 
that  his  body  should  be  buried  before  the  pulpit  in  old  Hungars  church." 
This  was  done;  the  sexton's  fee  for  such  interments  being  300  pounds 
of  tobacco. 

Rev.  Thomas  Dell  was  the  minister  until  1729;  John  Holbroke,  until 
1747.     Rev.  Edward  Barlow  succeeded  and  died  in  1761;   Rev.  Richard 


297 

Plewitt  died  in  1774;  and  in  that  year  Rev.  Mr.  McCosltey  became  rector, 
remaining  until  his  death  in  1803,  succeeded  by  Revs.  Gardiner,  Davis, 
Symes  and  Stephen  Gunter.  Rev.  Simon  Wilmer  w^as  rector  as  late  as 
1836.  In  that  year  Rev.  W.  G.  .Jackson  was  elected.  After  a  very  severe 
illness  he  resigned  in  1841,  and  obtained  a  chaplaincy  in  the  Navy.  Rev. 
J.  P.  B.  Wilmer  (son  of  Dr.  Simon  Wilmer,  and  eventually  Bishop  of 
Louisiana,)  was  rector  from  1841  to  1843,  succeeded  by  Revs.  John  Uf- 
ford,  .James  Ravvson  and  J.  M.  Chevers,  elected  in  1855.  Of  his  succes- 
sors I  have  not  an  accurate  list,  but  Revs.  C.  Colton,  A.  S.  Johns,  Craig- 
hill.  Ware,  Easter,  William  Nelson  Meade,  Randall,  Carpenter  and 
Thomas  are  among  them. 

Prior  to  the  Revolution  the  interior  furnishings  of  Hungars  church 
Vi'ere  very  handsome — all  of  them  brought  fi'om  England,  and  most,  if 
not  all,  of  them  gifts  from  Queen  Anne.  I  have  seen  fragments  of  the 
chancel  draperies;  dark  crimson  velvet  of  superb  quality,  with  gold  em- 
broidery and  bullion  fringe,  all  of  which  had  defied  time  and  retained 
a  brilliancy  I  have  never  seen  surpassed.  Alas!  only  fragments  remain- 
ed; for  in  the  antagonism  to  everything  English,  which  followed  the 
Revolution,  the  Church — still  the  "Church  of  England,"  and  without 
Bishops  of  her  own,  fell  upon  evil  times,  and  was  pillaged  and  dese- 
crated, with  none  able  to  protect  her.  Most  of  the  clergy,  being  English- 
men, returned  to  their  own  country.  The  deserted  churches,  still  be- 
loved by  the  faithful,  could  not  be  preserved  from  vandalism,  under  the 
name  of  patriotism.  The  large  pipe  organ  was  taken  from  the  church 
and  destroyed.  Tradition  says  the  fishermen  in  the  neighborhood  used 
the  metal  as  "sinkers"  for  their  nets.  The  beautiful  hangings  were  cut 
to  pieces;  doors  and  windows  suffered  to  fall  from  their  hinges,  and 
nothing  left  in  the  church  which  was  coveted  by  any  chance  intruder. 
I  have  known  persons  who  remembered  to  have  seen  cows  grazing  on 
the  grass  growing  in  the  brick-paved  aisles  of  St.  George's,  in  Accomac, 
and  Hungars  church,  doubtless,  fared  no  better.  The  silver  and  the 
altar  linen — given  by  Queen  Anne — were,  however,  carefully  kept,  and 
are  still  in  use,  I  believe;  that  is,  the  silver  is  used,  and  the  altar  cloth 
kept  as  a  priceless  relic,  for  occasional  use. 

The  unhappy  condition  of  the  Church  throughout  Virginia  in  the 
years  following  the  Revolution,  and  extending  into  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, is  well  known,  and  need  not  here  be  dwelt  upon.  The  extracts 
which  follow,  from  a  letter  written  many  years  ago,  will  show  how 
Hungars  parish  suffered.  The  writer,  a  most  devoted  Churchwoman, 
says: 


298 

"The  Episcopal  Church  in  Northampton  has  been  small  and  feeble,  to 
the  grief  of  all  the  friends  of  Zion.  I  became  a  communicant  on  Christ- 
mas day,  1813.  The  communicants  were  Mrs.  Jacob,  Mrs.  E.  Satchell, 
Mrs.  L.  Stratton,  Mrs.  L.  Evans,  Mrs.  H.  Parker,  Miss  Anne  Savage  and 
myself.  My  inestimable  friend,  the  Rev,  Mr.  Davis,  was  pastor.  Seven 
other  ladies  soon  after  joined  the  little  band.  After  Mr.  Davis'  death, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Symes,  from  Norfolk,  became  rector.  Hungars  and  Ma- 
gotty  Bay  churches  (the  latter,  that  near  Arlington)  were  both  deserted, 
and  worship  was  conducted  in  the  Courthouse  at  Eastville.  Mr.  Symes 
toiled  with  untold  difficulties  for  a  very  short  time;  removed  to  South 
Carolina,  and  there  died. 

"Not  coming  immediately  to  the  rectorship,  the  Rev.  Herbert  ]\Iar- 
shall,  of  Rhode  Island,  officiated  for  six  months. 

"Mr.  Wilmer's  ministry  was  much  blessed.  The  communicants  increas- 
ed to  twenty-tivo  in  1821;  and  among  them  were  Mr.  James  Upshur,  Mr. 
Wyatt,  Dr.  Winder  and  Mr.  John  Harmanson.  This  was  a  strong  acces- 
sion; truly  we  thanked  God  and  took  tourage.  And  here  allow  me  to 
say,  the  want  of  male  strength  and  co-operation  has  ever  been  the  cause 
of  the  slow  growth  of  our  Church  in  Northampton.  The  four  gentlemen 
named  above  died  in  quick  succession,  and  the  church  was  again  left  to 
the  women — 'last  at  the  cross  and  earliest  at  the  sepulchre.'  In  1827 
Dr.  William  G.  Smith  joined  the  church,  and  has  been  its  consistent  and 
valuable  friend.  With  our  subsequent  additions  and  circumstances  you 
are  well  acquainted.  Our  ministers  have  all  been  choice  and  faithful; 
the  responsibility  is  our  own.  Being  the  oldest  living  member,  per- 
haps 'the  oldest  inhabitant,'  I  have  made  these  imperfect  'jottings'  for 
your  information." 

My  own  recollections  begin  with  the  Rev.  Simon  Wilmer,  but  the 
memory  is  very  vague,  for  I  was  not  three  years  old  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  He  was  very  absent-minded,  and  his  wife  equally  so.  Many 
memories  of  them  lingered  in  the  parish,  and  they  were  always  spoken 
of  with  great  affection.  Here  is  a  story  often  told,  which  exhibits 
their  absent-mindedness:  They  had  made  a  visit,  their  infant  child  be- 
ing with  them;  and  when  taking  leave  were  at  great  pains  to  see  that 
all  their  belongings  were  put  into  thei>-  carriage.  Half-way  down  the 
avenue  leading  to  the  county  road  they  heard  a  call,  and  stopped  to  see 
what  was  wanted.  "Can  we  have  left  anything?"  asked  his  reverence. 
His  wife  answered,  "Everything  that  I  can  think  of  is  here,  even  the 
baby's  bottle!  But  there  must  he  something!"  The  "something"  was 
the  baby  himself,  fast  asleep  on  a  sofa.     This  baby  became  the  Bishop 


299 

of  Louisiana,  and  was  said  to  have  been  as  absent-minded  as  his 
parents.     The  Rev.  Stephen  Gunter  was  Dr.  Wilmer's  predecessor. 

I  do  not  know  at  what  time  old  Hungars  was  put  in  decent  repair,  and 
the  services  resumed,  nor  under  which  i-ector  this  was  accomplished; 
but  long  before  1840  it  was  opened  fortnightly  for  morning  service,  al- 
ternating with  Christ  church,  Eastville.  Many  of  the  families  in  and 
near  Eastville  attended  both  churches  regularly.  The  members  of  Hun- 
gars church  living  in  the  upper  part  of  the  parish  also  frequently  at- 
tended the  other  church,  for  the  parish  was  a  harmonious  unit. 

The  exterior  of  the  church  remained  unchanged,  but  the  interior  never 
regained  its  Colonial  splendor,  and  the  chancel  furniture  and  draperies 
were  very  simple  and  inexpensive.  There  was  only  one  aisle;  the  pews 
were  large  and  nearly  square,  with  benches  on  three  sides.  Children 
sat  on  the  front  benches,  facing  their  parents.  The  pulpit  was  at  the 
side  of  the  church,  near  a  door. 

Before  1850  the  old  church  was  pronounced  unsafe,  cracks  having  ap- 
peared in  one  of  the  gables,  and  the  walls  being  slightly  out  of  plumb. 
An  attempt  was  made,  by  means  of  iron  rods,  to  draw  the  walls  back 
into  position,  but  proving  unsuccessful,  the  cracked  gable  was  pulled 
down  and  a  portion  of  each  side  wall,  reducing  the  length  by  about  one- 
third.  It  is,  however,  more  than  large  enough  for  its  present  congrega- 
tions. The  interior  was  altered  in  various  particulars;  two  aisles  took 
the  place  of  one,  thus  reducing  the  size  of  the  pews,  while  increasing 
their  number;  the  pulpit  was  removed  to  the  chancel. 

Bishop  Meade  gives  the  following  list  of  vestrymen  for  Hungars 
church  since  1812: 

Peter  Bowdoin,  John  Eyre,  Nathaniel  Holland,  John  Addison,  John 
GofRgan,  John  Upshur,  John  Windee,  Littleton  Upshur,  George  Parker, 
William  Satchell,  Thomas  Satchell,  S.  Pitts,  Jacob  Nottingham,  Isaac 
Smith,  John  T.  Elliott,  J.  H.  Harmanson,  James  Upshur,  Abel  P.  Upshur, 
W.  Danton,  Charles  West,  W.  G.  Smith,  John  Leatherbury,  Severn  E. 
Parker,  John  Ker,  T.  N.  Robins,  N.  J.  Windee,  Major  Pitts,  G.  F.  Wil- 
kins  Simkins,  Fisher,  Evans,  Bell,  Adams,  Nicholson. 


YEOCOMICO   CHURCH,   WESTMORELAND 
COUNTY,  VIRGINIA. 

UY    THE   KEV.    J.    POYATZ    TYLER. 

THE  section  of  country  in  which  this  venerable  building  is  sit- 
uated is  identified  with  the  very  early  history  of  Virginia. 
The  county  of  Westmoreland  was  cut  off  from  Northumber- 
land in  1653,  and  extended  along  the  Potomac  as  high  as  the 
Falls  above  Georgetown.  This  large  territory  was  subsequently  divided, 
and  in  time  the  country  was  included  in  a  narrow  strip  of  land  be- 
tween the  Rappahannock  and  Potomac  rivers.  There  were  two  par- 
ishes in  the  county;  the  upper,  Washington,  and  the  lower,  Cople 
Parish. 

Bishop  Meade  states  in  his  "Old  Churches  and  Families  of  Virginia," 
that  there  were  originally  two  churches  in  this  latter  parish — one  on 
the  Yeocomico  creek,  from  which  it  takes  its  name,  and  the  other 
about  ten  miles  distant,  on  Nominy  creek,  from  which  it  also  is  named. 
The  latter  was  destroyed  by  fire  soon  after  the  late  war  with  England, 
and  has  been  replaced  by  a  brick  one  of  more  modern  style.  The 
plate  belonging  to  this  was  carried  away  by  Admiral  Cockburn  and  his 
party,  when  they  were  on  a  pillaging  expedition  along  the  Potomac. 
Concerning  the  subject  of  the  sketch,  Bishop  Meade  says:  "Yeoco- 
mico church  is  one  of  the  old  churches,  being  built  in  the  year  1706. 
The  architecture  is  rough,  but  very  strong,  and  the  materials  must 
have  been  of  the  best  kind.  Its  figure  is  that  of  a  cross,  and  situated 
as  it  is,  in  a  little  recess  from  the  main  road,  in  the  midst  of  some 
aged  trees  and  surrounded  by  a  brick  wall,  now  fast  mouldering  away, 
it  cannot  fail  to  be  an  object  of  interest  to  one  whose  soul  has  any 
sympathy  for  such  scenes.  The  old  church  has  suffered,  as  have  many 
others,  in  the  stormy  times  of  the  nation's  history.  During  the  last 
war  with  Great  Britain,  it  was  shamefully  abused  by  the  soldiers 
who  were  quartered  in  it  while  watching  the  movements  of  the 
British  on  the  Potomac.  The  communion  table  was  removed  into  the 
yard,  where  it  served  as  a  butcher's  block,  and  was  entirely  defaced. 
Being  of  substantial  materials,  however,  it  admitted  of  a  new  face 
and  polish  and  is  now  restored  to  its  former  place,  where  it  will  an- 
swer, we  trust,  for  a  long  time  to  come,  the  holy  purposes  for  which 


301 

it  was  originally  designed.  Nor  was  the  baptismal  font  exempt  from 
profanation.  It  was  taken  some  miles  from  the  church  and  need  as 
a  vessel  in  whicli  to  prepare  the  excitements  of  ungodly  mirth.  This, 
however,  was  not  long  permitted,  for  in  the  absence  of  every  member 
of  our  communion,  none  being  left  to  do  it,  a  venerable  man  of  the 
Presbyterian  connection,  mortified  at  the  dishonor  done  to  religion, 
took  pains  to  regain  it  and  restore  to  its  proper  place." 

It  is  a  large  and  beautiful  font,  and  by  its  side  the  Bishop  took  his 
station  while  he  heard  the  renewal  of  baptismal  vows  from  the  lips 
of  those  who  were  confirmed. 

Bishop  Meade  also  mentions  the  fact  that  the  canvas  on  which  the 
Ten  Commandments,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  Creed  were  impressed, 
was  so  torn  by  the  soldiers  that  it  was  necessary  to  remove  it,  and 
that  some  necessary  repairs  had  been  put  upon  the  church  by  a  worthy 
gentleman  of  New  York.  It  deserves  mention  that  the  good  friend 
who  restored  the  font  was  Mr.  Muiphy,  of  Ayrfield,  and  the  other 
worthy  gentleman  was  Mr.  W.  L.  Rogers,  of  Princeton,  New  Jersey, 
who,  as  a  member  of  the  36th  Regiment  of  United  States  Infantry, 
was  stationed  with  his  company  in  the  vicinity  of  the  church,  in  the 
spring  of  1814. 

Mr.  Rogers  states,  in  an  interesting  letter  to  Bishop  Meade,  that  in 
1820,  being  on  a  visit  to  Westmoreland,  and  the  old  church  being  still 
in  ruins,  he  proposed  to  Mr.  Murphy  to  undertake  its  repair,  with  the 
result  that  active  measures  were  taken,  and  in  connection  with  other 
friends,   the  work   of  renovation   was   accomplished. 

Other  repairs  and  alterations  have  been  made  from  time  to  time. 
The  original  pews  have  been  replaced  by  more  modern  ones,  and  the 
old-fashioned  pulpit,  with  sounding  board,  is  gone.  In  its  place  are  a 
reading  desk  and  pulpit  of  recent  design. 

The  baptismal  font  and  communion  table  alone  remain  of  the 
original   furniture. 

The  old  brick  wall  around  the  church  and  burying-ground,  which, 
in  many  places,  was  pushed  by  the  growing  trees  from  the  original 
foundation,  was  partially  restored  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev. 
A.  R.  Walker,  and  neat  and  substantial  iron  gates  were  hung  at  the 
three  entrances. 

The  old  sun  dial,  which  bears  on  its  face  the  name  of  Philip  Smith 
and  the  date  1717,  has  been  removed  from  its  post  before  the  church 
and   is  now  kept  in  the  rectory.     Its  face  has  been   but  little  marred 


302 

by  exposure  to  the  elements,  and  it  will  soon  be  restored  to  its  former 
place. 

At  the  foot  of  the  hill  is  a  limpid  spring,  where  thirsty  worshippers 
have  been  wont  to  refresh  themselves  by  aid  of  an  iron  ladle  placed 
\here  many  years  ago  by  kind-hearted  Presley  Cox,  whose  initials  are 
impressed  on  the  bowl. 

In  a  recent  history  of  the  church,  published  by  the  committee  having 
the  bicentennial  exercises  in  charge,  and  from  which  much  of  this 
article  is  prepared,  is  the  following  interesting  statement: 

"This  quaint  relic  of  Colonial  Virginia  has  stood  through  two 
centuries  of  changing  scenes,  and  has  experienced  a  variety  of  usages, 
little  contemplated  by  those  whose  pious  hands  laid  its  foundations. 
For  three  quarters  of  a  century,  loyal  subjects  of  his  Britannic  Majesty 
were  required  to  assemble  here  each  Sunday,  and  attend  divine  ser- 
vices, under  penalty  of  the  forfeiture  of  a  goodly  quantity  of  tobacco. 

"With  the  rise  of  Republicanism,  the  sins  of  the  fathers  of  the 
Church  were  visited  upon  it,  and  it  fell  into  neglect  and  decay.  In 
turn,  it  became  a  soldiers'  barrack,  a  school  house  by  day,  the  nightly 
resting-place  for  the  beasts  of  the  field,  the  roosting-place  of  birds 
of  the  air,  and  the  habitat  of  all  creeping  things — its  sun-warm  bricks 
the  striped  lizards'  paradise.  Later,  it  was  the  scene  of  the  conflict 
between  rival  sects  that  fought  for  the  right  of  exclusive  occupancy; 
and  during  the  Civil  War  it  afforded  shelter  for  the  home  guard." 

The  church,  though  very  old,  was  not  the  earliest  known  as  Yeo- 
comico  church. 

This  statement  is  made  by  the  Rev.  G.  W.  Beale,  of  Hague,  Va., 
a  gentleman  well  versed  in  its  history.  The  earliest  vestrymen  of 
the  parish  were  Nicholas  Jurnew,  John  Powell  and  Richard  Holden, 
who  were  chosen  August  22,  1655.  Mr.  Beale  gives  a  long  list  of  names 
of  heads  of  families  who  were  immigrants  to  Westmoreland  and  wor- 
shipped at  Yeocomico,  between  the  years  1655  and  1706,  among  whom 
are  the  following: 

Col.  Isaac  Allerton,  Dr.  John  Gerrard,  Captain  John  Newton,  Samuel 
Rust,  Col.  George  Eskridge,  William  Payne,  William  Wigginton,  Sam- 
uel Bonum,  Richard  Lee,  Daniel  McCarthy,  Presley  Cox,  Daniel  Tibbs; 
and  of  later  date.  Dr.  James  Steptoe,  Rev.  David  Currie,  Gawin  Corbin, 
George  Lee,  Robert  Carter  and   Nicholas   Minor. 

The  old  Parker  home,  "Springfield,"  was  near  the  church,  and  here, 
no  doubt,  worshipped  General  Alexander  Parker,  a  soldier  of  the 
Revolution,    who    also    fought    with    "Mad"    Anthony    Wayne    in    the 


303 

Indian  wars.  In  the  churchyard  is  the  grave  of  Daniel  McCarthy,  who- 
i-epresented  the  county  in  the  Assembly  of  Burgesses  in  1715,  and 
was  Speaker  of  the  House.  The  Southern  Churchman,  in  1888,  pub- 
lished the  following: 

"Close  to  the  base  of  the  right  and  east  gable  is  the  rocky  founda- 
tion of  a  vault,  in  size  15x18  feet;  it  is  now  a  grassy  mound  with 
several  cedar  trees  growing  upon  it.  Near  the  center  of  this  mound  is 
a  gray  stone  tablet,  much  defaced  by  time,  and  it  was  only  afte' 
repeated  efforts  that  I  have  finally  succeeded  in  making  out  the  ii\ 
scription,  which  is  as  follows:   'Here  lyeth  the  body  of  Daniel  McCarty, 

who  departed  this  life  the  fourth  of  1724,  in  the  forty-fifth  year 

of  his  age.  He  was  endowed  with  many  virtues  and  good  qualifica- 
tions, but  the  actions  proceeding  from  them  bespeak  their  praise.  Here 
also  lyeth  the  body  of  Thaddeus  McCarty,  youngest  son  to  Daniel 
McCarthy,  Esq.,  who  died  the  7  of  February,  1731,  in  the  19  year  of 
his  age. 

"Near  this  place  likewise  is  the  body  of  Penelope,  wife  to  Daniel 
McCarty,  second  son  of  Daniel  McCarty,  Esq.,  and  daughter  to 
Christine  Higgens,  Gent,  who  departed  this  life  the  26  of  March.  1732, 
in  the  19  year  of  her  age,  with  one  child." 

In  more  modern  times  the  list  of  honored  names  among  the  worship- 
pers at  Yeocomico  are  great,  many  being  those  of  descendants  of  the 
good  and  true  of  other  years. 

Special  mention  is  to  be  made  of  Mr.  John  E.  Crabbe,  of  the  last 
generation,  who,  after  a  successful  career  as  a  member  of  a  Baltimore 
firm,  returned  to  Cople  Parish.  His  son,  Mr.  Walter  Randolph 
Crabbe,  has  been  for  many  years  registrar  of  the  parish. 

Mr.  James  Arnest,  Dr.  Watt  H.  Tyler,  father  of  the  Diocesan  Arch- 
deacon, Col.  Robert  H.  Mayo,  Mr.  E.  C.  Griffith,  and  others,  figured 
prominently  in  the  later  history  and  growth  of  the  old  church. 

In  reference  to  the  rectors  and  vestries  of  Yeocomico,  the  early  re- 
cords have  not  been  preserved,  and  it  is  impossible  to  give  an  accu- 
rate list  of  the  successive  clergymen  who  had  charge.  From  Bishop 
Meade  it  is  learned  that  the  first  minister  of  whom  there  is  record  was 
the  Rev.  Charles  Rose — 1754-'58.  It  is  stated  unauthoritatively  that 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Bricken  preceded  Mr.  Rose.  The  Rev.  Thomas  Smith 
was  minister  1773-'76.  He  was  probably  preceded  by  the  Rev.  Augus- 
tine Smith.  In  1779,  the  name  of  the  Rev.  James  Elliot  appears,  and  the 
next  minister  of  whom  there  is  record  was  the  Rev.  Washington  Nel- 
son in  1835.     In  1842,  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  William  N.  Ward,. 


304 

and  he,  in  1849,  by  the  Rev.  Theodore  N.  Rumney,  afterwards  rector 
of  St.  Peter's  church,  Germantown,  Philadelphia.  The  Rev.  Edward 
McGuire  succeeded  Mr.  Rumney  in  1850,  and  in  1852  and  1854,  the  rec- 
tors were,  successively,  the  Rev.  William  McGuire,  the  Rev.  T.  Grayson 
Dashiell.  During  tlie  Civil  War,  the  Rev.  Charles  J.  Rodefer  was  in 
charge  of  the  parish. 

Within  the  present  generation,  the  following  clergymen  have  officiated 
in  the  order  named:  Rev.  John  J.  Lloyd,  Rev.  Pendleton  Brooke,  Rev. 
Robert  A.  Castleman,  Rev.  David  F.  Ward,  Rev.  Austin  B.  Chinn,  Rev. 
Albert  Rhett  Walker,  Rev.  Frank  Ridout  and  Rev.  Charles  H.  Gross. 

Besides  the  vestrymen  elected  in  1655,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Beale,  there 
is  record  of  an  election  held  in  1755,  when  the  following  were 
chosen:  John  Bushrod,  Daniel  Tebbs,  Richard  Lee,  Benedict  Middle- 
ton,  George  Lee,  John  Newton,  Willowby  Newton,  Robert  Middleton, 
Samuel  Oldham,  Robert  Carter,  Fleet  Cox,  and  James  Steptoe. 

At  an  election  immediately  following  the  Revolution,  the  following 
vestry  was  chosen:  Vincent  Marmaduke,  Jeremiah  G.  Bailey,  John  A. 
Washington,  Samuel  Rust,  John  Crabb,  Richard  Lee,  George  Garner, 
George  Turberville,  Patrick  Sanford,  John  Rochester,  and  Samuel  Tem- 
pleman. 

The  exercises  commemorative  of  the  200th  anniversary,  were  deeply 
interesting.  They  began  on  Sunday,  July  15,  1906,  and  were  in  charge  of 
the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese.  The  congregation  was  large,  people  coming 
from  far  and  near  to  attest  their  regard  for  the  old  church,  surrounded 
with  so  manv  associations  sacred  to  them  all. 


THE  PARISHES  IN  ACCOMAC  COUNTY.  VA. 

CO.MriLED    IN    PART    FROM    BISHOP    MEADE'S    "OLD    CHURCHES,    MINISTERS    AND 
FAMILIES    IN    VIRGINIA." 

THE  whole  of  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia  was  called  Accow- 
make,  then  changed  to  Northampton,  then  divided  into  North- 
ampton and  Accomac.     Soon  after  this,  in  the  year  1762,  the 
county   of  Accomac   was   divided   into   two   parishes  by  a   line 
running  from  the  bay  to  the  sea,  the  upper  being  called  Accomac  Parish, 
and  the  other  St.  George's.     The  dividing  line  runs  about  three  miles 
north  of  Drummondtown. 

From  a  record  in  the  clerk's  office  in  Northampton  there  is  reason  to 
believe  that  the  church  at  Pongoteague  was  built  before  the  division 
of  the  Eastern  Shore  into  two  counties,  and  was  the  first  erected  in  Ac- 
comac. The  next  was  that  which  stood  a  few  miles  from  Drummond- 
town, and  was,  until  the  year  1819,  called  the  New  Church.  At  that 
time  the  name  of  St.  James'  was  given  to  it.  It  was  subsequently  re- 
moved to  Drummondtown,  and  now  forms  the  church  at  that  place.  In 
the  year  1724  there  were  three  churches  in  the  upper  parish  (Accomac), 
about  ten  miles  distant  from  each  other.  The  first  minister  of  whom 
we  read  in  the  parish  was  the  Rev.  William  Black,  who,  in  the  year 
1709-10,  wrote  to  the  Bishop  of  London  that  he  had  taken  charge  of  it, 
that  there  had  been  no  minister  there  before  for  fifteen  years.  In  the 
year  1724  he  is  still  the  minister,  and  in  answer  to  certain  questions 
by  the  Bishop  of  London,  writes  that  he  preaches  at  these  churches,  has 
two  hundred  communicants,  four  or  five  hundred  families  under  his 
charge,  instructs  the  negroes  at  their  masters'  houses,  has  baptized  two 
hundred  of  them,  catechizes  the  children  on  Sunday  from  March  to 
September,  has  no  Communion  service  or  anything  decent  in  his 
church,  receives  a  salary  of  forty  pounds  per  annum  (that  being  the 
value  of  his  tobacco),  rents  his  glebe  for  twenty  shillings  per  annum, 
has  a  school  in  his  parish,  endowed  by  one  Mr.  Sanford,  of  London,  and 
which  is  still  in  existence. 

How  long  the  pious  labors  of  Mr.  Black  continued  after  the  year  1724 
is  not  known.  In  the  year  1755  we  find,  from  an  old  list  of  the  clergy 
of  Virginia,  that  the  Rev.  Arthur  Emmerson,  afterwards  well  known 
in  other  parishes,  was  the  minister.     In  the  year  1774  the  Rev.  William 


306 

Vere  is  set  down  in  the  Virginia  Almanac  as  the  minister  of  Acromac 
Parish.  He  was  doubtless  the  last  minister  of  this  parish.-  In  the  year 
17S5,  when  the  first  Convention  after  the  Revolution  met  in  Richmond, 
there  was  no  clerical  delegate  from  either  of  the  parishes  of  P/,  aac. 
Mr.  Jabez  Pittis  was  the  lay  delegate  from  Accomac  Parish,  r  .-  Mr. 
Levin  Joynes  and  Tully  Wise  from  St.  George's. 

The  churches  in  Accomac  were  a  brick  one,  at  "Assawaman,"  on  the 
seaside;  a  wooden  one,  on  the  Middle  or  Wallop's  Road,  about  five  miles 
from  the  southern  line  of  the  parish,  and  another  of  wood,  at  Poco- 
moke,  near  the  Maryland  line,  called  the  New  Church.  None  of,  ;  jem 
now  remain.  About  thirty  years  past,  says  Bishop  Meade,  throiJver- 
seers  of  the  poor  took  possession  of  the  Communion  plate,  and  ff-  tt  the 
same  to  a  silversmith,  who  intended  to  melt  it.  but  being  advis.  .]  that 
it  was  doubtful  whether  they  had  any  authority  to  sell  the  platp  under 
the  law  directing  the  sale  of  glebe  lands,  and  there  being  a  tradition 
that  the  plate  was  a  private  donation,  the  sale  was  rescinded. 

As  to  the  ministers  of  St.  George's  Parish,  in-  Accomac,  our  records 
before  the  Revolution  fail  us  altogether.  It  is  probable  that  some  of 
the  ministers  of  Hungars  Parish  rendered  service  here  for  some  time 
after  the  division  of  the  Eastern  Shore  into  the  counties  of  Northamp- 
ton and  Accomac,  especially  Mr.  Teackle.  The  Teackle  records  say 
that  the  Rev.  Thomas  Teackle  preached  there  for  over  fortv  years,  and 
family  tradition  states  that  he  was  the  first  rector  of  St.  George's.  He 
died  in  1696.  This  would  date  the  church  somewhere  about  1656.  In 
Northampton  cotmty  records  Mr.  Teackle  is  frequently  mentioned  as 
"Minister  of  ye  Upper  Parish."  He  was  born  in  1624,  in  Gloucester- 
shire, England,  and  his  father  was  slain  in  the  army  of  Charles  I.  His 
son,  fleeing  from  the  persecutions  of  the  Cromwellites,  first  went  to 
the  Bermudas,  and  thence  came  to  Northampton  at  the  instigation  of 
his  cousin,  Colonel  Obedience  Robins.  St.  George's  is  considered,  in 
the  Teackle  records,  to  be  the  fourth  church  in  Virginia  in  point  of  age. 

The  first  minister  on  any  of  our  lists  was  the  Rev.  John  Lyon,  from 
Rhode  Island,  who  was  in  the  parish  in  the  year  1774,  and  continued 
there  during  and  some  time  after  the  war.  Being  more  of  the  English- 
man than  the  American  in  his  feelings,  his  time  was  very  uncomfort- 
able during  the  Revolutionary  struggle;  but,  being  married  into  a  re- 
spectable family,  his  principles  were  tolerated  and  his  person  protected. 
While  as  a  faithful  historian,  we  shall  truthfully  admit  whatever  of 
Toryism  there  was  among  the  clergy  of  Virginia,  we  shall  as  faithfully 


307 

maintain  that  tliere  was  a  large  share  of  noble  patriotism  in  the  clergy 
of  Virginia.  Mr.  Jefferson  declares  this  most  emphatically.  No  ele- 
ment ''''as  more  often  invoked  in  the  earlier  history  of  Virginia  than 
the  iience  of  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  producing  a  feeling  of  re- 
sists >  to  the  oppressions  of  England,  and  no  class  from  whom  the 
Henrys,  Jeffersons  and  patriot  politicians  of  that  day  received  greater 
aid  in  opening  the  eyes  of  the  people  and  preparing  them  for  severance 
from  Great  Britain.  Mr.  Jefferson  himself  acknowledges  this  in  his 
works   (Vol.  I.,  pp.  5-6). 

the  year  1786  the  Rev.  Theopoliis  Nugent  was  present  in  the  Con- 
ven  "  as  the  rector  of  St.  George's  Parish,  Accomac.  But  nothing  more 
is  k  'n  of  him.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  clergymen  from  the 
time  L  Mr.  Nugent  to  the  present  day:  The  Revs.  Cave  Jones,  Ayrs, 
Reese  Gardiner,  Eastburn,  Smith,  Chase,  Goldsmith,  Carpenter,  Adams, 
Bartlett,  Winchester,  Jonathan  Smith,  William  G.  Jones  and  Zimmer. 

The  Rev.  Cave  Jones  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  probably  a  descendant 
of  one  of  the  three  of  that  name  who  ministered  to  the  early  Church 
of  Virginia.  He  was  a  man  of  talents  and  eloquence,  which,  after  some 
years,  attracted  attention  beyond  the  bounds  of  our  State,  and  led  to  a 
call  to  Trinity  church,  New  York.  He  was  so  popular  in  that  situatio/i 
as  to  become  a  formidable  rival  to  Dr.  Hobart,  afterwards  Bishop  of 
New  York. 

Another  name  in  the  above  list  is  that  of  Rev.  Mr.  Eastburn,  worthy 
of  more  than  passing  notice.  James  Wallis  Eastburn,  a  brother  of 
Bishop  Eastburn,  of  Massachusetts,  M.  A.  of  Columbia  College,  of  New 
York,  was  a  native  of  that  State,  and  from  every  account  we  have  of 
him,  must  have  been  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  talented  young 
men  of  our  country.  He  was  ordained  by  Bishop  Hobart  in  October, 
1818;  commenced  his  ministry  in  Accomac  county  almost  immediately, 
and  after  a  short  but  truly  glorious  ministry  of  about  eight  months, 
returned,  broken  in  health,  and  expired  in  December,  1819,  on  his  way 
to  the  West  Indies.  He  had  only  reached  the  age  of  twenty-two,  but 
was  mature  in  mind  and  a  "burning  light"  in  the  Church  of  God.  The 
hymn — 137 — beginning,  "Oh,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy  Lord,"  was  composed  by 
him  at  eighteen  years  of  age. 

Some  years  since,  the  Rev.  Ambler  Weed,  of  Richmond,  undertook 
the  revival  of  the  Church  in  the  lower  part  of  St.  George's  Parish,  and 
by  great  diligence  caused  a  new  church  by  the  name  of  St.  Michael's 
to  be  erected  near  Belle  Haven.     In  this  and  in  old  Pongoteague  church 


308 

he  officiated  for  some  years  with  great  diligence  and  self-denial  and 
with  some  success. 

Old  Pongoteague,  the  first  house  of  prayer  erected  in  Accomac,  and 
probably  not  much  less  than  two  hundred  years  old  (1857),  still  stands 
a  remarkable  monument  of  former  days,  among  some  old  trees,  perhaps 
as  ancient  as  itself.  It  was  a  brick  building  in  the  form  of  a  cross, 
with  a  ])ow  window  in  one  arm  of  the  cross  and  the  vestry-room  in  the 
other.  The  floor  was  of  brick  and  the  pews  had  high  backs.  Tlie  pul- 
pit was  circular,  with  a  flight  of  steps  leading  to  it.  The  brick  floor 
having  become  uneven,  a  plank  floor  was  laid  over  it,  and  the  pew 
backs  were  lowered.  The  Parish  Register  was  lost,  but  the  old  Bible 
and  Prayer  Book,  together  with  the  old  Communion  service,  have  been 
preserved.  The  goblet  and  paten,  it  is  believed,  were  the  gift  of  Queen 
Anne,  and  bear  this  inscription:    "Ye  Parish  of  Accomack." 

In  18G1  the  church  was  used  as  a  stable  by  the  Federal  troops,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  war  the  building  was  a  complete  wreck.  Thus  it  re- 
mained untenanted  for  a  number  of  years,  until  the  Church  people  of 
the  neighborhood  determined  to  restore  it  as  a  place  of  worship.  After 
many  sacrifices  and  trials  and  much  hard  work,  they  succeeded  in  re- 
building the  time-honored  and  sacred  edifice.  The  arms  of  the  cross, 
being  cracked  and  unsafe,  were  taken  down,  the  main  part  of  the  cross 
being  rebuilt  with  the  old  bricks,  and  services  were  resumed  after  an 
interval  of  twenty-five  years.  The  first  rector  of  the  restored  church 
was  the  Rev.  Mr.  S.  H.  Wellman.  Since  then  the  rectors  have  been  as 
follows:  The  Revs.  John  Anderson,  F.  M.  Burch,  John  McNabb,  Henry 
L.  Derby,  Cary  Gamble,  John  S.  Meredith  and  W.  Cosby  Bell.  Among 
its  rectors,  too,  was  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Bosworth  Smith,  who  served 
at  its  altar  in  1819,  and  was  afterwards  first  Bishop  of  Kentucky  and 
Presiding  Bishop  of  the  Church  in  the  United  States. 

I  am  sorry  to  be  unable  to  give  a  list  of  the  ancient  vestrymen  of 
Accomac.  The  only  document  of  which  I  have  heard  from  which  to  de- 
rive such  list  and  other  particulars  perished  during  the  last  year. 
Would  that  all  the  friends,  members  and  ministers  of  the  Church  of 
Virginia,  and  any  others  who  have  any  care  for  her  past  history,  would 
but  inquire  for  such  documents,  and  search  for  them  among  the  ne- 
glected papers  of  old  family  mansions  and  clerks'  offices!  How  much 
might  still  be  rescued  from  destruction  and  oblivion  which  is  worthy 
of  preservation  in  some  permanent  form! 


309 

In  place  of  a  list  of  vestrymen  of  the  parish,  I  subjoin  the  following 
of  the  families  which,  from  the  earliest  period  to  the  present  time,  have 
belonged  to  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Accomac.  It  has  been  furnished 
me  by  a  friend,  with  the  qualification  that  it  is  imperfect,  and  that 
there  are  others  who  might  be  added: 

"Bowman,  Cropper,  Joynes,  West,  Satchell,  Smith,  Wise,  Finney, 
Scarbrough,  Robinson,  Custis,  Bayly,  Snead,  Parker,  Stratton,  Bagwell, 
Andrews,  Arbuckle,  Stokely,  Poulson,  Downing,  Bell,  Upshur,  Para- 
more,  Teagle,  Hack,  Seymour,  Kellam,  etc." 


ST.   THOMAS'   CHURCH,   BATH    ST.   PAUL'S 
CHURCH.  EDENTON,  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

BY    THE   KEV.    HUIIEKT   HKENT    DKANE.    IJ.    1).,    HECTOR   OF   ST.    PAUL's    fllLKCII, 

EDENTON.    N.    C. 

DN  this  article  effort  will  be  made  to  keep  to  the  church  buildings 
and  their  material  associations. 
St.  Thomas'  was  begun  in  17o4;  St.  Paul's  in  1736.  Both  were 
substantially  built  of  brick,  and  the  main  construction  of  both  re- 
mains unchanged  and  gives  promise  of  endurance.  In  both  buildings 
the  ravages  of  time  have  wrought,  and  human  care,  reverent  and  re- 
spectful, if  not  always  so  intelligent  as  that  of  our  day,  has  restored. 
Tantalizing  it  is  that  so  insufficient  records  repay  our  search. 

When  St  Thomas'  was  first  used  does  not  appear,  but  the  first  oc- 
cupation of  St.  Paul's,  as  noted  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Vestry,  was  in 
1760.  Both  these  parishes  were  organized  with  vestries  in  3  701.  St. 
Paul's  is  the  oldest  organization — the  oldest  corporation  of  continuous 
life  in  North  Carolina;  and  its  first  church  building,  begun  in  1701 
and  finished  the  next  year,  was  the  first  church  built  in  the  Province. 
But  of  the  now  existing  buildings,  St.  Thomas',  Bath,  has  always  been 
accounted  the  older. 

The  following  measurements  will  help  out  our  comparison,  all  being 
outside  dimensions: 

ST.    THOMAS'S. 

Nave  length,  51  feet;  nave  width,  31  feet;  nave  height,  sides.  14  feet; 
thickness  of  bricks,  3  by  4%  by  9  inches;  clay  tiles  in  floor,  2  by  8  by 
S  inches. 

ST.  Paul's.  ' 

Nave  length,  60  feet;  nave  width,  40  feet  3  inches;  nave  height,  sides, 
20  feet;  dimensions  of  bricks,  2%  by  4  by  8V2  inches. 

St.  Paul's  was  formerly  tiled,  and  "intramural"  burials  were  allowed. 
The  floor  is  now  of  wood. 

The  Minutes  of  St.  Thomas'  vestry  have  disappeared.  St.  Paul's 
are  continuous  from  1701  to  1776,  when  there  is  a  break  of  some  years. 

The  beginning  of  St.  Paul's  first  church  was  by  voluntary  subscrip- 
tion;  so  also  of  the  building  now  standing. 


311 

Until  about  a  generation  ago,  St.  Thomas'  had  a  wooden  belfry, 
standing  apart  from  the  church,  in  which  hung  a  small  bell,  said  to 
have  been  given  by  Queen  Anne  of  England.  Within  the  memory  of  per- 
sons now  living  the  incongruous  belfry  was  removed  and  the  old  bell 
was  given  in  part  payment  for  a  new  and  larger  bell. 

In  aptitude  for  parting  with  something  purporting  to  have  been 
given  by  that  good  "nursing  mother  of  the  Church,"  St.  Paul's  vestry 
lias  kept  pace  with  St.  Thomas';  for,  about  the  year  1850  they  gave 
away  to  Holy  Trinity  church,  Hertford,  North  Carolina,  the  small  old 
marble  "Queen  Anne  font,"  to  have  a  larger  one,  now  in  the  church, 
the  gift  of  Mr.  John  Thompson,  a  parishioner.  Tradition  has  it  that 
a  consideration  favoring  the  change  was  that  the  new  font  should  be 
large  enough  for  the  Rubric  for  the  Immersion  of  Infants.  History 
does  not  record  a  test  of  that  capacity.  There  is  no  mention  in  our 
Minutes  of  the  Queen  Anne  font,  in  its  coming  or  going. 

In  a  long  and  dismal  letter  written  to  the  English  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  1713-14,  St.  Paul's  vestry  represent  that 
they  have  "but  one  sorry  church,  on  the  North  shore  of  the  Sound; 
never  finished,  no  ornaments  belonging  to  a  church,  nor  wherewith  to 
buy  any." 

Queen  Anne  died  August  1st,  1714.  She  may,  ere  that,  have  been 
moved  to  give  the  font  and  other  help  to  these,  her  "poor  country 
folks,"  whose  letter  bears  date  March  ye  2d  of  the  same  year.  The 
absence  of  all  recognition  of  any  such  gift  is  remarkable. 

In  those  days  this  settlement  was  called  "Queen  Anne's  Town,"  but 
not  in  the  vestry  book.  It  is  "Chowan  Precinct,"  or,  more  particularly, 
the  "North  Shore";  and  in  the  minutes  of  1722-23,  Edenton  is  first  men- 
tioned. It  was  just  then  that  the  authorities  imposed  the  name  in 
memory  of  Charles  Eden,  the  lately  deceased  royal  Governor  of  the 
Province. 

The  parish  or  precinct  was  too  large  to  be  served  by  one  church 
building,  and  that  "25  feet  long!"  Therefore  chapels  were  built,  of 
which  there  are  in  all  six  mentioned,  in  the  Colonial  period;  namely: 
Constant's,  otherwise  spelled  Costans  and  Costen's,  Farlees,  Sarum, 
Knotty  Pine,  Indian  Town,  and  on  the  Southwest  Shore.  Descriptive 
of  them  may  be  read  this  order  of  the  vestry  made  in  1741:  "to  build 
two  chappells  in  Chowan  parish,  viz.,  at  James  Costans  or  theirabouts 
as  they  shall  think  fitt,  and  the  other  at  James  Braddey's  or  near  their- 
abouts, and  the  Domentions  as  here  mentioned  vizt.:  Thirty-five  foot 
long  and  Twenty-two  foot  and  a  half  wide,  Eleven  foot  in  the  pitch  be- 


312 

tween  Sill  and  Plate,  and  a  Roof;  workmanlike,  near  a  squear,  and  to  be 
a  good  fraim  Gott  out  of  Good  Timber  and  covered  with  Good  Sipress 
shingles  and  good  Sleepers  and  flowers  of  Good  plank  and  seated  with 
Good  plank,  with  three  Windows  suitable,  with  a  pulpit  and  all  things 
suitable." 

These  chapels  probably  hindered  the  building  of  the  church  at  Eden- 
ton.  Year  after  year  the  vestry  was  composed  of  men  who  lived  re- 
mote from  Edenton,  in  the  upper  part  of  the  precinct.  There  is  not  in 
the  minutes  any  reference  to  sectional  feeling  nor  to  any  rural  and 
urban  rivalry;  but  the  long  unfurnished  church  building  at  Edenton  and 
the  absence  of  Edentonians  from  the  vestry  have  seemed  significant. 

Surely,  if  Edward  Moseley  had  remained  here  after  1736,  when  the 
church  was  begun,  public  spirited  and  energetic  as  he  was,  the  digni- 
fied building  could  not  have  so  dragged  its  slow  length  alongl 

The  first  monies  for  its  erection,  as  is  true  also  of  the  building  of  the 
1701  church,  came  from  private  subscription,  the  names  and  amounts 
being  very  interesting,  and  the  secretary  or  clerk  being  anonymous,  his 
entry  being  "My  own  subscription  100  t" — equal  to  the  largest,  only  two 
on  the  list  being  for  so  much.  This  information  is  from  a  separate 
sheet,  not  the  Vestry  Book,  which  is  evidently  a  current  account  of 
receipts  and  expenditures  for  the  present  St.  Paul's  building,  and  its 
first  date  of  a  payment  is  "May  10th,  1736— To  money  for  clearing  lots 
12£." 

The  vestry  on  May  10,  1736,  "Ordered  that  to  contribute  towards  de- 
fraying expenses  of  building  a  church  at  Edenton,  *  *  *  and  other 
contingent  charges  *  *  *  a  tax  or  levy  *  *  *  be  *  *  *  on 
each  Tythable     *     *     *       for  the  ensuing  year." 

At  a  General  Assembly  of  the  Province  of  North  Carolina,  held  at 
Edenton  in  1740.  an  act  was  passed  whose  preamble  notes  that  several 
well  disposed  persons  have  voluntarily  subscribed  *  *  *  to  build 
and  erect  a  church  in  Edenton;  that  some  of  the  commissioners  appoint- 
ed to  have  the  work  done  had  died,  and  that  the  vestry  refused  to  assist 
therein.  It  provided  for  the  prosecution  of  the  work,  and  "that  when 
the  said  church  shall  be  fit  to  celebrate  Divine  Service  in,  all  meetings 
of  Vestries  *  *  *  should  be  held  at  the  said  church  and  that  no 
other  place  in  the  said  Parish." 

The  vestry's  meeting  in  the  church  at  Edenton  in  1760  gives  m  that 
year  for  its  completion. 

Now  as  to  public  sentiment  toward  taxation  for  church  building,  it 
has  been  pointed  out  as  creditable  to  the  people  of  Edenton  that  they 


313 

protested  against  selling  the  pews  in  St.  Paul's  and  petitioned  the  As- 
sembly to  finish  it  by  a  tax  upon  the  people,  so  that  all,  paying  equally, 
might  have  equal  rights  in  their  house  of  worship. 

There  is  occasional  notice  of  the  vestry's  granting  the  rights  to 
build  a  pew  in  a  chapel. 

Some  reference  now  to  the  church  plate,  still  in  use: 

In  the  minute  of  1703  acknowledgment  is  made  of  the  gift  of  Ten 
Pounds  to  the  Parish  from  Governor  Francis  Nicholson,  of  Virginia, 
wherewith,  it  was  ordered,  that  a  chalice  be  purchased  at  Boston,  to 
be  suitably  inscribed. 

In  1714  Col.  Edward  Moseley  writes  Governor  Nicholson  that  his 
purpose  had  not  yet  been  fulfilled,  and  appeals  to  him  to  take  steps  to 
accomplish  it. 

In  1714,  in  the  above  quoted  dismal  letter  the  vestry  write  the  S.  P. 
G.  that  Governor  Nicholson's  gift  had  not  "yet  been  expended  for  want 
of  an  additiion  according  to  the  Intention  of  the  Donor." 

In  1727-28  it  is  written:  "Coll.  Edward  Moseley  made  a  present  to  the 
Parish  of  a  Silver  Jhalice  and  Plate  with  his  own  name  Engraven 
thereon,"  and  to-day  that  inscription  may  be  read,  the  same  on  both 
vessels: 

"The  Gift  of  Colonell  Edward  Mosely,  for  ye  use  of  ye  Church  in 
Edenton,  in  the  year  1725." 

There  is  also  a  larger  chalice  of  silver  with  this  inscription: 

D.  D.  Johannes  Garzia,  Ecclesiae  Anglicanae  Presbyter." 

The  only  reference  to  this  priest  is  a  minute  of  the  payment  to  him 
of  f5  in  1736.  He  was  an  itinerant  evangelist  for  this  part  of  the 
Colony,  with  his  home  at  Bath.  It  was  probably  during  his  incum- 
hency  of  St.  Thomas',  Bath,  that  that  parish  acquired  its  glebe  of  three 
hundred  acres,  and  its  glebe  house,  the  only  one  ever  owned  by  any 
parish  in  North  Carolina,  as  Bishop  Cheshire  states. 

An  interesting  association  of  these  old  parishes  is  in  connection  with 
church  books  and  public  libraries.  St.  Paul's  Vestry,  March  ye  2d, 
1713-14,  to  the  Soc.  Prop.  Gospel  say:  "The  first  Library  of  great  value 
sent  us  by  the  direction  of  the  Reverend  Dr.  Bray,  through  an  unhappy 
Inscription  on  the  Back  of  the  Books  or  the  title  page,  viz..  Belonging 
to  the  Parish  of  St.  Thomas',  of  Pamplico,  in  the  then  rising  but  now 
miserable  county  of  Bath,  falsely  supposed  to  be  the  seat  of  Govern- 
ment, was  lodged  there  and  by  that  means  rendered  useless  to  the 
clergy  for  whose  service  it  was  chiefly  intended,  and  in  what  condition 
we  know  not,  but  we  fear  the  worst  by  reason  of  the  late  war." 


314 

One  book  from  that  iiljrary  has  come  down  to  us,  and  it  was  the: 
happiness  of  a  rector  of  St.  Paul's,  Edenton,  to  secure  it  as  a  gift  to 
the  Diocese  of  East  Carolina,  the  present  owner  of  it.  It  is  a  copy  of 
Gabriel  Towerson's  Application  of  the  Church  Catechism,  London,  1685, 
bound  in  leather,  handsomely  stamped  on  the  back,  in  gold:  "Be- 
longing to  ye  Library  of  St.  Thomas'  Parish  in  Pamlico." 

About  the  year  1720  Edward  Moseley  sent  bill  of  exchange  to  London 
to  purchase  a  library  for  St.  Paul's,  Edenton,  but  there  is  no  record  of 
its  coming.  It  is  thus  mentioned:  "Catalogue  of  Books  humbly  present- 
ed by  Edward  Mosely,  Esq.,  to  the  Honb'le  and  Most  August  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  towards  a  Pro- 
vincial Library  to  be  kept  in  Edenton,  the  Metropolis  of  North  Caroli- 
na."    There  are  seventy-four  volumes. 

Before  leaving  this  old  church,  taking  a  last  look  toward  its  altar,, 
one  may  recall  the  inscription  at  the  base  of  the  chancel  window,  the 
only  stained  glass  in  the  building,  modestly  hidden  by  the  English 
oaken  furniture: 

"In  honour  of  God,  to  the  memory  of 

Josiah  Collins, 

by  whose  efforts  mainly  this  church 

when  in 

ruins  was  restored.     Died  May  19th,  1819." 


HOLY  TRINITY  ("OLD  SWEDES")  WILMINGTON, 
DELAWARE. 

BY    THE    REV.    KENSEY    J.    HAMMOND,    WILMINGTON.    DELAWARE. 

"Hark!    how  the  .sacred   cahn   that  breathes  around 
Bids  every  fierce,   tumultuous   jjassion  cease: 
In   still,   small   accents    whispering-  from    the   ground 
A    grateful    earnest    of    eternal    i)eace." 

HESE  are  lines  beneath  the  memorial  window  in  memory  of  Mr. 

and  Mrs.  James  A.  Bayard,  on  the  south  wall  of  that  venerable 

and  historic  church  building,  popularly  known  as  "Old  Swedes." 

They  well  express  its  life  mission  for  the  many  generations  to 

whom  it  has  been  Our  Father's  House. 

As  the  English  colonists  carefully  brought  their  pastor  (Rev.  Robert 
Hunt)  with  them,  when  seeking  a  home  in  this  new  world,  so  did  the 
■Swedes  think  it  the  right  and  only  thing  to  be  done  when,  in  1638, 
Peter  Minuit  and  his  countrymen  came  here  to  form  a  new  Sweden, 
they  brought  the  Rev.  Reorus  Torkillus.  Sailing  up  the  Delaware  Bay, 
they  landed  at  a  place  called  by  the  Indians  "Hopokahacking,"  on  the 
north  of  Minquas  creek;  established  themselves,  built  a  fort  and  called 
it  Christiana,  after  their  Swedish   queen. 

The  pastor  held  services  at  first  in  the  fort,  and  the  cemetery  was 
located  on  a  hillside  further  inland.  In  1667  they  built  a  wooden 
church  on  the  south  side  of  the  creek,  at  a  place  known  then  and  now 
as  Crane  Hook,  where  services  were  held  until  1697.  Various  pastors 
served  after  Mr.  Torkillus:  Campanius,  Holgh,  Charles,  Peter,  Loke- 
nius  and  Fabricius,  until  in  1693  the  congregation  found  itself  in  the 
hands  of  Lay  Reader  Charles  Christopher  Springer,  who,  after  a  few 
years  of  faithful  service,  petitioned  the  Swedish  authorities  for  two 
priests  and  some  books.  Three  were  3ent  over,  reaching  Philadelphia 
about  July  2,  1697,  one  of  them,  the  Rev.  Erick  Biorck,  coming  to  Crane 
Hook.  An  active  and  capable  minister,  he  took  the  English  settlers 
also  under  his  care,  preaching  at  some  services  to  them  in  their  own 
language. 

The  congregation  prospered.  The  population  extended  around  Chris- 
tiana creek  as  Wilmington  grew,  and  a  church  building  was  desired  on 
the  north  side  of  that  creek.     After  some  discussion  this  was  finally 


316 

agreed  upon,  the  residents  there  promising  to  furnish  a  canoe  for  free 
ferriage  across  the  creek  to  church  for  their  brethren. 

A  contract  was  made  with  a  Philadelphia  builder  for  an  edifice  66 
feet  long,  36  wide  and  20  high,  of  brick,  at  a  cost  of  £86.  The  Church 
people  were  to  "find  ye  said  Joseph  (Yard)  and  his  Assistants  during 
ye  time  of  ye  said  work,  with  sufllcient  Meat,  Drink,  Washing  and 
Lodging,  with  sufficient  Labourers  for  him  and  his  Assistance,  and  to 
find  all  necessary  Material  fitt  for  ye  work,  and  the  said  Joseph  not  to 
be  hindered  for  Materials  or  Labourers  or  Carpenter's  work."  The 
contract  price  for  carpenter  work  was  £130  of  current  silver  money,  to 
Philadelphia  contractors  also.  The  walls  were  finished  in  August,  1698. 
Gable  ends  were  decided  upon,  and  built  later.  Stones  were  broken  by 
the  congregation  and  hauled  on  sleds  during  the  winter.  The  boards 
were  sawn  by  hand  on  a  saw-pit,  and  the  nails  forged  by  a  blacksmith. 
Inscriptions  in  forged  iron  letters  adorned  the  walls.  These  were  re- 
pHred  in  part  during  the  repairs  of  1899:  Over  the  east  window,  "Lux 
L.  1.  Tenebr,  Oriens  ex  alto."  Across  the  south  wall,  "Immanuel."  On 
the  tower,  "1G98." 

Services  were  held  in  Crane  Hook  church  for  the  last  time  on  the 
Fourth  Sunday  after  Easter,  when  arrangements  were  made  for  sit- 
tings in  the  new  structure.     Of  this  Pastor  Biorck  writes  in  his  diary: 

"Finally  Hans   P and   his  wife  came   forward,   expecting   to   have 

seats  with  the  rest.  Then  I  took  him  aside  and  asked  him  if  he  would 
pay  the  £10  standing  back  on  his  subscription  to  the  church,  and  be 
united  to  the  congregation  as  a  true  and  proper  member.  If  so,  he 
should  have  a  pew.  If  otherwise,  never;  but  that  he  should  be  at  lib- 
erty to  come  and  hear  God's  Word,  and  stand  wherever  he  could  find  a 
place.  All  this  he  promised,  and  I  immediately,  in  the  hearing  of  the 
congregation,  rehearsed  it,  and  said  he  and  his  wife  should  be  acknowl- 
edged as  members  as  before.  Then  his  written  confession  of  his  fool- 
ishness and  wrong  towards  God  and  me  and  the  congregation  was 
read;  but  he  has  kept  himself  at  home  up  to  the  present  time." 

On  Holy  Trinity  Sunday,  1699,  Pastor  Biorck  consecrated  the  new 
church,  giving  it  that  name,  that  it  might  be  a  "perpetual,  huml)le  of- 
fering to  the  great  Triune  God,  and  a  hearty  and  sincere  thanksgiving 
for  the  unspeakable  grace  which  He  through  me  so  humble  and  in  so 
wild  a  country  in  so  short  a  time  and  above  all  my  expectations  and 
against  many  oppositions  had  been  pleased  to  let  such  a  work  be  car- 
ried forward  to  its  conclusion,  without  damage  or  danger."  The  Rev. 
Messrs.   Andrew  Rurman   and   Joseph   Aureen   assisted   in   the  service. 


317 

The  notable  strangers  present  were  then  entertained  at  John  Stalcop's 
house  with  food,  wine  and  beer,  after  which  the  rest  received  refresh- 
ment. 

Reckoning  all  labor  and  gifts  at  the  regular  price,  the  church  cost 
£800.  The  pastor  next  secured  from  John  Stalcop  a  500-acre  farm  as 
a  glebe  for  the  minister's  use,  and  more  land  for  the  churchyard,  its 
site  being  the  original  cemetery  hillside,  Then  in  four  years  or  less 
this  indefatigable  worker  infused  life  into  a  disheartened  people, 
brought  them  into  their  own  edifice,  with  a  support  for  their  pastor, 
and  by  unselfish  devotion  to  their  welfare,  stimulated  them  to  work 
for  the  common  good.  His  large-hearted  charity  also  laid  the  foun- 
dation through  his  friendship  with  the  English  and  their  clergy  for 
the  changes  which  took  place  later  and  by  which  Swedish  church  prop- 
erty became  by  willing  consent  of  its  owners  absorbed  by  our  Com- 
munion. 

In  1714  Charles  XII.,  of  Sweden,  recalled  Mr.  Biorck,  and  he  took 
charge  of  the  church  in  Fahlun,  in  Dalecartin,  whence  in  1718  was 
sent  a  beautiful  silver  chalice  and  paten  to  Holy  Trinity  church  from 
the  mining  company,  owing  to  his  loving  remembrance  of  his  congrega- 
tion in  this  wilderness.     This  service  is  still  in  use. 

The  Rev.  Magister  A.  Hesselius  succeeded  as  pastor  until  1723.  His 
successors  were  Samuel  Hesselius  until  1731;  John  Enneberg  to  1742, 
and  Peter  Trauberg  to  November  8,  1748.  His  tomb  is  beneath  the 
main  aisle  of  the  church,  just  before  the  chancel.  It  bears  the  follow- 
ing inscription: 

"In  memory  of  the  Rev.   Peter  Trauberg,  Missionary  from  Sweden, 
first  fouiteen  years  at  Raccoon  and  Penns  Neck  churches,  then  seven 
years  here.     He  departed  this  life  November  8th,  1748,  aged  52  years. 
He  left  this  world,  this  gloomy  scene  of  pain, 
Tho'  to  his  friends  a  loss,  yet  lasting  gain 
To  him;    the  patron  of  a  virtuous  life. 
And  good  conductor  from  that  monster  strife. 
Who  can  forget  the  pains  this  worthy  spent. 
In  painful  journeys  by  his  duty  bent, 
The   sick   to   comfort,  and   to   warn   the  vain; 
So  sweet  his  presence,  urging  rules,  how  plain! 
Whose  tender  care  and  universal  love. 
Proved   his  commission  from  the  God  above. 
Who  gave  him  strength  at  first,  and  then  did  fill 


318 

His  soul,  prepensed  to  do  His  holy  will; 
To  hazard  health,  nay,  life  and  pleasure,  too, 
His  Lord's  command  with  ardour  to  pursue; 
For  which  he  rests  with  God  in  bliss  to  be, 
Freed   from   this  world   to  all   eternity." 

In  the  side  aisle  of  the  church  is  a  tiny  grave,  its  stone  bearing  the 
following  inscription:  "The  son  of  Peter  Trauberg,  who  departed  this 
life,  July  29,  1750,  aged  nine  years,  six  months  and  two  weeks." 

Until  1736  Magister  Israel  Aurelius  served  here;  then  Magister  Erick 
Unanander  till  1759;  and  Magister  Andrew  Bovell  till  1768.  The  last 
of  the  Swedish  pastors  was  Magister  Lawrence  Girelius,  serving  till 
his  return  to  Sweden  in  1791. 

Five  years  earlier  the  Swedish  churches  in  this  country  sent  a  joint 
letter  to  the  Archbishop,  saying  their  language  was  uo  longer  used 
and  expressing  a  wish  to  choose  pastors  from  the  English  clergy  herp. 
The  death  of  Archbishop  Unander  and  other  circumstances  hindered 
his  successor  from  laying  their  request  before  the  king.  But  in  1791 
he  (Uns  Von  Troil)  did  so  and  it  was  granted  and  Girelius  recalled. 
The  congregation  then  petitioned  the  Delaware  Legislature  to  amend 
their  charter,  allowing  the  election  of  either  a  Lutheran  or 
Episcopal  rector.  The  intimacy  already  strong  between  the  Swed- 
ish and  Episcopal  Churches,  allowed  several  of  their  pastors  to  re- 
ceive stipends  and  gifts  from  the  "Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Gospel,"  so  it  was  natural  for  this  congregation  to  turn  to  the  Epis- 
copalians for  a  rector,  and  they  elected  the  Rev.  Joseph  Clarkson, 
who  served  till  1799.  His  successors  were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Price  to 
1812;  Wicks  to  1817;  Bull  to  1819;  Hall  to  1821;  Williston  to  1827; 
Connelly  to  1828,  and  Pardee  to  1835.  During  his  rectorship  the  new 
Trinity  church  was  built  on  King  street  in  1830.  and  the  old  building 
being  very  dilapidated  was  not  used.  The  next  year,  however,  it  was 
repaired. 

In  1842  it  was  renovated  and  reopened  for  occasional  services, 
Bishop  Lee  oflRciaiing,  and  the  Rev.  J.  W.  McCullough  preaching.  In 
1847  regular  Sunday  afternoon  services  were  provided  by  the  vestry; 
the  old  bell  was  recast,  and  ordered  rung  for  services  at  both  churches. 
The  Rev.  W.  Franklin  was  chosen  as  assistant  minister  in  1852.  and 
put  in  charge  of  the  "Old  Swedes."  His  successors  there  as  assistants 
in  Trinity  Parish  were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Spooner  till  1856;  Parker  to 
1859;  Murphy  to  1897;  Lewis  to  1883;  Higgins  to  1888;  and  Dunlap 
to ;     and  H.  B.  Olmstead  now  in  charge. 


319 

Another  renovation  was  found  necessary  in  1898,  and  much  and 
thorough  work  was  done  this  time  also  as  a  restoration  to  its  earliest 
appearance,  inside  as  well  as  outside.  A  brief  account  of  this  is  here 
given,  condensed  as  was  the  other,  in  part  from  a  very  full  history 
published  at  the  time  in  the  Every  Evening,  of  Wilmington,  Delaware. 
Part  of  the  original  brick  floor  was  found  when  a  later  wooden  one 
was  removed.  This  was  left,  and,  from  ancient  drawings  of  the  in- 
terior, found  in  the  city,  was  extended  in  aisles  after  the  earliest  pat- 
tern. High  back  pews  with  doors  hung  on  hand-made  antique  hinges 
with  hand-made  nails  were  given  by  the  Colonial  Dames.  The  original 
pulpit  was  placed  against  the  north  wall  with  its  canopy.  A  new 
white  marble  altar  covers  the  earliest  one,  built  of  stone  and  mortar, 
hollow  within,  and  reached  by  a  door  a  foot  square  on  the  north  side. 
It  corresponded  to  the  record,  "with  a  little  room  in  under."  The 
tower  was  rebuilt  an  exact  copy  of  the  original.  An  outside  stair  was 
built  in  the  porch  seen  from  the  south  side,  as  at  first,  to  reach  the 
gallery,  and  new  iron  gates  placed  across  this  porch.  The  ivy  cover- 
ing the  south  wall  was  from  a  slip  from  Stokepogis  in  England,  brought 
and  planted  there  sixty  years  ago  by  the  mother  of  the  Hon.  T.  A. 
Bayard. 

The  present  members  of  the  iron  firm  in  Fahlun,  Sweden,  from  which 
came  the  Communion  silver  service  many  years  ago,  hearing  of  the 
restoration  of  the  old  church  at  this  time,  sent  an  oil  painting  of  the 
Rev.  Erick  Biorck,  a  copy,  both  picture  and  frame,  of  the  portrait  now 
hanging  in  the  church   he  served   in   Sweden. 

The  church  was  reopened  with  a  service  of  benediction  by  the 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  on  Trinity  Sunday,  1899,  the  bicentennial  of 
the  church  itself,  he  celebrating  the  Holy  Communion,  and  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Nelson,  of  Philadelphia,  preaching  from  the  text,  Deut.  26:5. 
The  congregation  of  the  parish  church  (Trinity)  met  and  worshipped 
with  these,  cementing  the  oneness  of  interest  that  always  should  be 
found  between  congregations  related  as  mother  and  daughter.  This, 
purpose  marks  the  ministry  also  of  the  present  rector  and  vicar.  By- 
interchange  of  pulpits,  by  united  services  in  one  of  the  other  of  the' 
church  buildings  during  the  year,  by  co-operation  in  good  works,  the 
two  congregations  are  drawn  nearer  each  other  to  the  benefit  of; 
both  and  welfare  of  the  Church  in  Wilmington. 


El}t  mh  ffiliurdt. 


What  an  image  of  peace  and  rest 

Is  this  little  church  among  its  graves! 
All   is  so   quiet;    the  troubled   breast, 
The  wounded  spirit,  the  heart  oppressed. 
Here  may  find   the   repose   it   craves. 

See   how  the   ivy  climbs  and  expands 

Over  this  humble  hermitage, 
And  seems  to  caress  with  its  little  hands 
The  rough,  gray  stones  as  a  child  that  stands 

Caressing  the  wrinkled  cheeks  of  age. 

Here  would  I  stay  and  let  the  world 

With  its  distant  thunder  roar  and  roll; 
Storms  do  not  rend  the  sail  that  is  furled. 
Nor  like  a  dead  leaf,  tossed  and  whirled 
In  an  eddy  of  wind,  is  the  anchored  soul. 
— H.  W.  Longfellow. 


(Eljurrlt  m\h  iH^mnrtal  Art 

In  Metal,  Wood,  Stone  or  Marble. 

Art  ^tatiif  ti-(Sla0a 
^Urchly'. Monuments    ^Q^^    the  Cemetery. 

Church  Changes,  Decoration  or  Enrichment  designed  and  executed, 

or  estimated  on,  if  desired. 

The  Summer  season  affords  the  best  opportunity  for  carrying  out  such  work. 


Write  for  Catalogue. 


^     J.5-.R.LAMB     ' 

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however,  by  one  fully  informed  as  to  correct  proportions  and 
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and  have  erected  them  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  it  costing 
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thananotherunder  our  system.   UnaS.  L».  ola.Ke  &  l^O., 

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CHURCH  EMBROIDERY 

of  every  description.  Altar  Linen,  Surplices 
and  Eucharistic  Vestments,  by  a  Churchwo- 
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CHEVY  CHASE,  MD. 


Gloucester  Academy 


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Boarders  occupy  dwelling  with  the  Principal  and  his  family. 

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University  of  Virginia, 


Charlottesville,    Va., 


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WINCHESTER,  VA. 

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Colonial  churches;  a  series  of  sketches 

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